The Council of Wankers
by bored-now0809
Summary: CCMPLETE! The Sequel to Turned: Please read that one first or this one will not make any sense! Vampire Buffy's life starts to get complicated again in the second part of this trilogy
1. Default Chapter

The Council of Wankers  
  
Summary: Sequel to Turned. Please read that first! Buffy and Spike are growing closer together. Spike is mostly healed and wants to take Buffy as his mate. Angel returns to challenge his claim and in the midst of their soap opera drama...the council comes to Sunndale to play!  
  
Disclaimer: Nothing is mine! Nothing, lalala!   
  
Spike watched as the two slayers battled their undead opponents. He had to admit that Faith was a good fighter. But nowhere near as good as his Slayer…at least he thought so anyway. He turned to look at Buffy in all her golden beauty and he could feel the burn scars on his face stretch. He grimaced at what he must look like and at that moment Buffy dusted her foe and looked over at him and smiled at him brightly. His own insecurities of her affections fled at the sight of her smile directed at him. Faith's vampire fled and she took off after at it.  
  
"He guys try to keep it PG until I get back!" Faith yelled over her shoulder at the two vampires as she chased after her prey. Buffy moved over to sit by Spike and leaned her head on his shoulder.   
  
"I can't wait until you are up to 100% and all three of us can fight." Buffy kissed his temple lightly.   
  
"Yeah me too pet." Spike mumbled.   
  
"Are you ok?" Buffy looked at him concerned. He seemed to always be on the verge of asking her something and then would back off.   
  
"I hate being weak, love."   
  
"Spike…" Buffy sighed. It had only been a few weeks since Spike had been tortured by Angelus and Drusilla and he was almost fully healed. His stomach wound would still act up on occasion and he some scarring on his face that would take a while longer to heal, but he was far from being weak. "We've been over this before. You are not weak. Your body went through a lot. You'll be back to normal in no time."  
  
"I guess." He didn't sound that convinced.  
  
"Oh come on. I'm sure that we can think of at least one way for me to show you that you are not weak." Spike raised his eyebrow at Buffy's mischevious tone.  
  
"Yeah?" He asked and she leaned in closer to him and brushed a gentle kiss across his lips.  
  
"Yeah." He pulled he closer and began to kiss her with a new found vigor. He broke away and pulled her body closer to his. "Spike, I love you. I love you so much." He closed his eyes to stop the tears that still came when she told him that.  
  
"I love you too pet." Spike cleared his throat. "Buffy…I know that well we haven't been together for that long but I know that I have been thinking about it for a while…" He trailed off as she pulled away to look at him.  
  
"What?" Buffy asked. His eyes had this hopeful yearning look. She knew that whatever he said was going to be important. She reached out to softly caress his cheek. "C'mon Spike. You know that you can tell me anything."  
  
"Well…I was wondering if you would want to, I mean it's ok if you don't want to or anything, but would you be my mate?"   
  
Buffy looked at him in surprise. Drusilla had just died and sure he hadn't been in love with Dru any longer but they had been mates for over one hundred years. "What about Drusilla? I mean are you sure that isn't too soon for you?"  
  
"Drusilla and I were never mates." Spike said softly.  
  
"What? I thought that you were together for so long…"  
  
"I wanted to, but she would never accept me." Spike got up and walked slightly away from her. He felt like such a pathetic git. Now she knew the truth. No one had ever loved him. He was a fool to have asked her in the first place.   
  
Buffy felt like her heart was breaking. She had wanted to say yes to him right away but was a little worried that the sudden loss of his bond with Drusilla was making him seek that bond again. But it had never been there. Just then Faith ran into the clearing smiling brightly.  
  
"Got the little bastard…" She trailed off as she noticed the tension in the air. "Uh…I mean I gotta go and chase that vamp some more…"  
  
Buffy stood up looking intently at Spike's back. She walked over to him and walked in front of him pulling his face up to look at her. "Congratulate us Faith…Spike and I are going to be mated." She smiled at Spike softly and he looked at her in shock. Faith looked a little surprised as well. She was not one for long term and all eternity freaked her out just a little bit. But hey, B always was a little different.  
  
"Uh congrats?" Faith offered.  
  
Spike looked down at her and whispered so only her vampire hearing could hear. "I don't want you to do this because you feel sorry me pet. I won't tie you to me for all eternity…"  
  
He was cut off as she pulled him to her and kissed him fiercely and passionately ignoring the choking sound that Faith made in the background. When they pulled away he looked at her dazed and with a delighted smile on his face. "I want to be bound to you for all eternity because I love you with all my heart and soul Spike."   
  
Spike choked out a sob as he clutched her to him in a tight embrace. He felt like he was about to explode he was so happy. As Faith stood off to the side watching, she began to think that maybe there was something to those long term relationships after all.  
  
Angel crouched in the bushes as he watched the scene play out before him. Buffy and Spike? MATED? He felt his demon surge and struggled to push it back. He had no right after what Angelus had done to both of them. Before he could stop himself he stepped out of the bushes and walked towards the group.  
  
"Hello Buffy. Spike. Faith." He said calmly. The three turned to look at him and Spike's arms tightened around Buffy as his eyes narrowed at Angel.   
  
"Angel." Buffy gasped, and she reached to clutch Spike's hand fearful that even with his soul Angel would go after Spike.   
  
"So are you still all evil?" Faith asked pointedly. Angel sighed in regret.  
  
"I came to apologize. I wanted you to know that I am going to be back in town to help you out if you need…" Angel's speech was cut off as Spike began to growl at him. He paused and looked at the three. All of their bodies were tense as though expecting a fight to the death any minute. "So. I'll be at the mansion."   
  
And with that he left them and walked away. His demon still screaming not to let that upstart claim his childe as a mate.   
  
"We need to talk to Giles." Buffy said and they began to walk quickly to the Watcher's apartment.  
  
Willow and Oz sat contentedly on Giles couch helping him research turned slayers. They hadn't been having that much luck in the past few weeks and Giles had gone to the kitchen when Willow and Oz's "researching" had quickly transformed to googly eyes. Their looks of love were interrupted by Faith, Buffy, and Spike bursting through the door.  
  
"Watcher we got a big problem." Spike said and he began to pace around the room. One moment of happiness totally erased by the flaming poofter he thought.  
  
"Yes Spike. What is the big problem this time." Giles sighed rolling his eyes. Every demon that had attacked them had been a "big problem" to Spike. His over protectiveness of Buffy was endearing but it was a little old in Giles' eyes.  
  
"He's being serious this time Giles." Buffy said going over to Spike and taking his hand in hers stopping his pacing.  
  
"What is it?" Giles asked concerned.  
  
"Angel's back." Faith answered from her spot at the door. "He came up to us on patrol and said that he would be back at the mansion if we needed him."  
  
"Like I ever want to go back there." Buffy muttered and Spike wrapped his arm around her protectively.  
  
"Bbb-ut I mean the curse worked right?" Willow asked nervously.   
  
"Yeah. Looked like it." Faith answered when Spike and Buffy were quiet.  
  
"Well that's good right?" Oz said trying to calm everyone down. He was greeted by silence.  
  
"Where's Cordelia?" Buffy asked unconsciously holding Spike closer.  
  
"She's out on a date with Xander." Willow said. She felt like she was in a daze. Oz took her hand in his trying to calm her.  
  
"Should we tell her?" Buffy continued.  
  
"I don't know. It might cause her to go back to the self destructive behavior from right after the incident." Giles said trying not to think of the scars that Cordelia had inflicted on herself.  
  
"'The incident' as you call it Watcher, is torture. Mental torture. And I think that we should tell the chit. It might help her in the long run." Spike said frustrated at their lack of communication skills.  
  
"Yes well be that as it may…" Giles was interrupted as the door opened and Xander and Cordelia came in.  
  
"Hey guys. Cordy wanted to come over here after the movie to make sure that everyone was ok. I told you her that you guys were probably good…" Xander noticed the tension in the room. Faith was standing rigidly by the couch now and Willow had Oz's hand in a death grip. Buffy looked like she was about to crack Spike's ribs if she held onto him any tighter and Giles was cleaning his glasses. "Uh. What happened?"   
  
The silence that greeted his question sent a shiver of fear through Cordelia. It was bad.   
  
"What is it?" She asked anxiously. She was again met by silence. "Tell me what it is!" She shouted at the silent group. Spike stepped forward and gave her a half smile.   
  
"Angel came back to town." He said quietly.   
  
"Oh no oh no oh no oh no oh no…" She began to repeat again and again. Xander put his hand on her shoulder and quickly led her over to the couch and sat next to her rubbing her back. Willow quickly moved to the kitchen to get her a glass of water.   
  
"Cordelia?" Buffy said quietly. Cordelia continued her mumbling and incoherent sentences. "Cordelia?" Buffy said a little louder. The scared girl raised her head to met Buffy's gaze. "You never have to see him. We'll keep him away from you."  
  
"Here's some water Cordelia." Willow said holding out the glass to her. Cordelia slowly took the glass and starred at it with a vacant look on her face.   
  
"He has his soul now Cordy. He's different." Xander said trying to be helpful but Cordelia merely broke down and began to cry uncontrollably.  
  
Giles moved to her other side and took her hand in his. "Cordelia. You can beat this. You will be far removed from him. I know how hard it is for you. But you must know that we are all here too protect you." Her sobs tapered off and she and Xander rose from the couch quietly.  
  
"Thanks you guys." Cordelia said after collecting herself a little bit. "Boy. What a night. What I wouldn't do for some good news." She said trying to joke a little bit while wiping away her tears. She hated to be pathetic.  
  
"Oh!" Buffy said her eyes lighting up. "Spike and I have good news!" She exclaimed to the group who looked at her expectantly. Spike nodded his head at her and gave her a shy smile and she beamed back him. "Spike and I are going to be mated."   
  
The group looked at them in surprise and then began to congratulate them all at once. Willow asking if Buffy wanted a mating shower and Cordelia decided that they would throw her one. Oz and Xander solemnly shook Spike's hand and Giles looked on with tears in his eyes. Faith looked touched by the scene and wondered how she could become part of such a group.  
  
  
  
At an airport that same night…  
  
They stepped off the plane with an air of authority and quickly proceeded through customs with not problem. The man they were meeting nervously adjusted his tie as he saw them step through the gates and into the terminal.   
  
"Hello." He greeted nervously. "I trust that your flight was pleasant…"  
  
"Spare me the pleasantries Mr. Wyndam-Price. You are in enough trouble as it is not reporting a turned slayer immediately. This could very well be the final battle for us all."   
  
"Well, er, I mean, she appears to have…"  
  
"Don't give us that cockamamie nonsense about a soul."  
  
"But Mr. Travers…"  
  
"Now we go to Sunnydale to deal with this problem. Bring the car around." Wesley quickly went to the car that he had driven to the airport and Travers and his three henchmen waited at the door of the airport waiting his return.  
  
"But if the slayer has a soul sir…She could be the one that the prophecy mentioned." The smaller of the three men said.  
  
"Yes Bradburry. That thought had not escaped me." Travers answered sardonically.  
  
"But then, should we hunt her in this manor?" Bradburry continued.  
  
"We are hunting her, but not to kill her. We shall take her back to England for further study."  
  
"But I thought that you told Mr. Wyndam-Price…"  
  
"I am quite aware that he believes she will be killed. But we cannot let the people in Sunnydale interfere in our plans. They must think that she is dead."  
  
"I don't understand."  
  
"Your job is not to understand Bradburry. Merely to follow orders."  
  
And with that the four waited for Wesley's return in silence. Wondering how they would ever be able to capture a turned Slayer.  
  
Angel sat at the mansion starring at the wall in front of him. He kept reliving the intimate scene that he had witnessed in the cemetery. Buffy and Spike becoming mates. His demon roared in rage as he thought of his girl tied to Spike for all eternity. Spike was a soulless demon. He wasn't right for Buffy.   
  
"Congratulate us Faith…Spike and I are going to be mated."  
  
Her voice played over and over in his head. He couldn't get it out of his mind.   
  
"Spike, I love you. I love you so much."   
  
How could she love him? Things were finally straightening out between them and now Spike comes and messes everything up. I mean sure he turned her into a vampire and helped torture Cordelia but last time he lost his soul he had killed Ms. Calendar and tortured Giles and she forgave that. Now she was his childe. With a determined roar Angel smashed his fist into the wall. She would not be mated with Spike. He would challenge the claim and then once he destroyed Spike, he would claim Buffy as his own and be with her for all eternity.  
  
"Mom!" Buffy yelled as she and Spike entered the house on Revello drive. "We're home and we have some news for you!" Buffy threw a smile over her shoulder at Spike who couldn't help but smile back at her- her enthusiasm was so infectious.   
  
"Buffy! Spike! You're back earlier than usual." It was then that Joyce noticed the bright smiles on both their faces. "What is it good news?"  
  
"Well…we have some really really good news and some bad news." Buffy hedged while bouncing from one foot to the other in excitement.  
  
"Ok give me the good news first." Joyce replied.  
  
"Spike and I are getting mated." At Joyce's blank look Spike decided to intervene.  
  
"It's like the vampire equivilance to marry Joyce."  
  
"Oh." She answered quietly.  
  
"Mom! This is the good news. What's wrong?"  
  
"Well…I guess that it just reminds me that you'll never get married Buffy. We won't have a big white wedding at church and I guess I was always hoping that even though your life isn't normal you would be able to have that."  
  
"Mom…" Buffy didn't really know what to say. "Just because it is different doesn't make it any less special. I mean Willow and Cordelia are already planning a shower." Joyce seemed to perk up right away at that.  
  
"A shower? Do you think that after you, you know, mate, we could have a reception of sorts? Like a wedding reception but different?"  
  
"I don't know Joyce. I mean mating is a pretty private matter. And there are certain things involved that might make it a little awkward to have a lot of soddin…er a group of humans looking on at." Spike said hesitantly.   
  
"Like what?" Buffy asked curiously.  
  
"Well…we have to bite each other then we have to claim each other and when we say the claiming rites and well…it's bloody emotional."  
  
"And you don't want to do that in front of everyone?" Buffy asked. But it was really more of a confirmation of what she knew.  
  
Spike looked from Joyce's downcast expression to Buffy's understanding one. When he had thought of mating with Drusilla it had never extended past what the two of them would be feeling. But now, he was part of a group, this group. And he had to admit that he did care about what these sodding humans thought and felt. Maybe that's why weddings were so important to them. It was allowing your friends and family to share and witness your commitment to each other. The thought of sharing that with them…it made the corner of Spike's mouth turn up and he wished that his own mom would have been able to see that moment in his life.  
  
"I thought I didn't." He mumbled and Buffy beamed at him.  
  
"What was that Spikey?" She asked.  
  
"We can share the bloody ceremony." He answered rolling his eyes.  
  
"Oh! That will be so wonderful! I know that you two will want to have this as soon as possible. What about next week?"  
  
"No good Joyce." Both women looked at Spike in exasperation. "It's the full moon next week pet." Spike answered rolling his eyes.   
  
"Oh well how about the week after that then? It shouldn't be too much trouble to plan it so soon. I mean we can't really invite that many people since you both are vampires. Oh honey, do you want your father to come?"  
  
"You can invite him mom, but before you get with the planning you should probably know the bad news."  
  
"Oh, right. I forgot about that."   
  
"Well I don't really know how to tell you this, but Angel is back."  
  
"Oh." Joyce looked at them in shock. "Does Cordelia know?"  
  
"She found out tonight. That's why we don't want you to invite him back into the house. She really freaked out."  
  
"Yeah and we want the cheerleader to feel like she is safe here." Spike put in.  
  
"I think that you're right." Joyce said quietly. "I know that he probably needs our help right now too, but our priority is to Cordelia."  
  
The group sat in silence for a moment, each lost in their own thoughts. Buffy unconsciously leaned back onto Spike who was stroking her back. Suddenly Joyce snapped out of her reverie.  
  
"Well now that that's settled…are there any friends that you would like to invite Spike?" And with that the planning began for a informal party to celebrate the joining of two vampires.  
  
Quinton Travers looked around the motel in disgust. The beds were dingy and the room had a faint smell of urine. Well, who really would want to vacation on the hell mouth he thought with an ironic smile.   
  
"Is this the best room you could find for us Mr. Wydam-Price?" Travers asked.  
  
"I realize that this is a little…er…uncomfortable, but it was…"  
  
"Yes, yes. Now for the time being I do not wish to alert the Slayers or Rupert Giles to my presence. We will observe them and then decide the best time to eliminate William the Bloody and secure Ms. Summers."  
  
"But sir…" Bradburry began and gulped when Travers shot him an icy glare.   
  
"Now, we will begin our survelience tomorrow night. Mr. Wyndam-Price, I believe that you will have to serve as a spy for us and try to ascertain Ms. Summers' schedule."  
  
Wesley merely nodded his head, but inside his stomach was dropping. Buffy was very much the same as she ever was. Perhaps she had a bit of a shorter temper but she wasn't even burned by the cross. And Spike, he had to say that he was astonished with the tenderness that shone through his eyes whenever he looked at Buffy. Wesley was torn but he knew what he had would have to do. He could not let feelings cloud his sense of duty…and his duty was to the Council of Watchers.  
  
NOTE: THis is as far as I have gotten on this one so any suggestions would be greatly appreciated. Also, if there is something you find lacking about my writing...I have been out of the creative writing thing for a while so let me know if there something you think I should be doing better. Thanks! 


	2. Chapter 2

Hi! Thanks for all your reviews and encouragement for this series. I have some outlines started for the next few chapters so hopefully I will be able to get what I have written up and posted before the weekend is over. And keep the reviews coming!   
  
********  
  
Spike sat back listening as Joyce and Buffy argued over whether they should have cream or white invitations to their mating ceremony. It was just too funny. He chuckled and was greeted by twin glares from the Summers women.  
  
"What?" He tried to look innocent but was unsuccessful as he started to smile at their expressions.  
  
"Oh come on Spike! It's important!" Buffy said.  
  
"Pet, I don't really think that anyone we're inviting is going to care if the invitations are white or cream." Buffy opened her mouth to arugue and closed it again, unable to think of an answer. She gave him a half-hearted glare and went to sit next to him on the couch.   
  
"Maybe." she finally muttered.  
  
"Now, Spike." Joyce interrupted. "All the little details are important. When Hank and I got married we spent hours..."  
  
"Uh, mom. Not to interrupt or anything, but what are we going to tell dad? I mean, we have to bite each other and I think that Xander and Giles are going to freak out enough...but Dad doesn't even know I'm a Slayer, let alone a vampire."  
  
"Huh. I didn't think about that." Joyce paused and looked at them thoughtfully. "I'm sure we'll think of something sweetie. Now, have you decided who you want to be your maid of honor?"  
  
"Oh! Yeah! Willow of course will be my maid of honor. What about your best man, Spike? Oz?" Buffy looked at Spike expentantly but he wouldn't meet her eye. "What is it? Is there some minion out there that you want? I mean you can, you just have to explain that he can't eat my friends..."  
  
"Pet." Spike turned to look at her uncomfortably. He thought that having people there was going to be unusual. "Maid of honour and best man...that's what humans do, luv."  
  
"Well they're human...I mean mostly."   
  
"We're vampires, pet." Spike said slowly and looked at him unconvinced.  
  
"Oh come on Spike!"  
  
"Bloody hell! HAve it your way. But I'm not getting you a ring." He crossed his arms defiantly and looked over at her. Buffy pouted at him and he sighed in resignation.  
  
"Oh bollocks."  
  
**********  
  
Giles rolled his eyes as he listened to Xander on the phone. He understood that the boy was worried abuot Cordelia, but did he honestly think that he wanted Angel there either?   
  
"Xander, you agreed with Cordelia that it was the best idea for her to stay here for the night since Angel is not invited in here and I have weapons."  
  
"Yeah, I know G-man, but..."  
  
"Don't call me that. Now I must insist that you stop calling me. She's asleep on the couch and I would very much like to go to sleep as well."  
  
"But-"  
  
"No! NOw this is the forth time you've called since you left!"  
  
"Ok. Well tell Cordelia..."  
  
"That you'll be here in the morning with donuts."  
  
"Yeah and-"  
  
"To call you if she needs to talk."  
  
"Yeah-"  
  
"Good-bye Xander."   
  
"Alright. Good-bye. And thanks Giles." Giles finally hung up the phone and sighed rubbing his hand over his face. He always knew that these kids would be the death of him, but he never suspected that it would be because they irritated him to death. Just then his phone rang and he huffed in annoyance.  
  
"Xander! I told you to stop calling!"  
  
"Ripper?" The voice on the other end asked. It was not Xander.   
  
"Who is this?" Giles asked lowly.  
  
"This is Bradburry." The line was silent as Giles absorbed that information and memories that he thought were buried were dredged to the surface again.  
  
"How dare you call me. After what happened with Fiona-"  
  
"I'm not here to bring up the past Ripper. I need to warn you-"  
  
"No. I told you at the funeral to never speak to me again." Giles slammed down the phone and starred at it as though he had seen a ghost.  
  
"Giles?" Cordelia called from behind him. Giles turned around startled.  
  
"You're awake!"  
  
"Duh. Like I could sleep with Xander calling every five minutes anyway." She smiled wearily at him as Giles looks at the floor. "Who's Fiona?" Giles' head snaps up and he looks like he's about to yell but merely sighs and goes to sit next to Cordelia on the couch.   
  
"She was my sister."   
  
"Oh." Cordelia looks at him and can tell that he really doesn't want to talk about it. "I'm scared Giles."   
  
"I know Cordelia."  
  
"I mean what if Angelus comes back again? I don't think I can ever look at him again..."  
  
"Cordelia. You will be able to. I know. After he killed Jenny, I hated him. I could barely look at him. But I know that you will be able to. Do you know why?"  
  
"Why?"  
  
"Because you have to. You are a strong person Cordelia. And have already been through a lot. But you don't have to go through this alone, as you can tell from Xander's many calls tonight and everyone else's concern." Cordelia looked at Giles curiously as though she was seeing him in a new light.  
  
"You know, I finally understand why Buffy respects you so much."  
  
"Thank-you."   
  
"Even you are just a school librarian now."   
  
"Yes. Well. Good-night." and Giles left to go to bed.  
  
**********  
  
Bradburry stared at the telephone reciever in his hand. He heard a noise behind him and hung up the phone quickly turning around to face Murdock.   
  
"Who was that?" Murdock asked.  
  
"Huh?" Bradburry said trying to play dumb.  
  
"On the phone just now." Murdock said narrowing his eyes. He didn't trust Bradburry as much as Travers did. He knew that there was some sort of bad blood between Rupert Giles and Bradburry, but he often wondered if Rupert was the one to break off their once strong friendship and not the other way around.  
  
"Oh. The phone. It was...a wrong number." Bradburry replied hesitantly and quickly left the room before Murdock could ask anymore questions. He would have to try to reach Ripper another way.  
  
Murdock stood there staring hard at the door. He would have to keep an eye on Bradburry. Make sure he didn't ruin Quentin's plans. And if it turned out that Bradburry was a traitor, then maybe he could get a promotion.  
  
***********  
  
Angel sat outside the Summers house and listened as Joyce laughed at something that Spike said about the preparations for the ceremony. He growled. He never had that good a relationship with Joyce. THen he saw Buffy lean over and kiss Spike on the cheek and he lost all his control. Angel walked up to the front door and knocked loudly.  
  
"I'll get that!" He heard Joyce call to the other two. She opened to door and frowned when she saw Angel standing there.  
  
"Hello Joyce. May I come in."  
  
"No. Angel I'm sorry."  
  
"What do you mean no?" He started to get angrier. Spike was allowed in to sit with them but not him?   
  
"Well, Buffy said that I shouldn't invite you in." Joyce said more strongly than she felt.  
  
"Can I talk to you Buffy?" Angel said trying to keep a tight reign on his temper. Buffy quickly appeared behind her mom.   
  
"Mom it's ok." She pulled Joyce away from the door and stepped up to talk to Angel. Her sire. "Hello Angel."  
  
"Buffy." Angel looked at her. She was still as beautiful as ever and still had her inner glow, even though now she was undead. "Can I come in?"   
  
"No." She looked down unable to look him in the eye. She did feel a little guilty about shutting him out like this, but she didn't feel 100% comfortable with him either. Afterall, he did kill her.  
  
"What? Why not? I don't understand." Angel tried to reach for her but the barrier stops him.  
  
"Angel. I want Cordelia to feel safe here. The only way to do that is to have it so you can't come in." Angel flinched at the mention of Cordelia and Buffy felt even guiltier but she had to stand her ground. After picturing Spike's face post-torture she steeled herself against Angel's pleas.  
  
"C'mon Buffy. You can invite me in and Cordelia would never have to know. I mean-"  
  
"Oh God! HOw selfish can you be!" Buffy exclaimed exasperated with him. Angel growled at her and narrowed her eyes and BUffy took a step back in fear, seeing not Angel, but Angelus in his eyes. Spike jumped in front of her and growled back at Angel.  
  
"Bugger off Angelus." Spike said in a low voice. Angel continued to growl at him his demon just at the surface chomping at the bit to be released. He slowly got himself under some form of control and took a few steps back from the door, never taking his eyes off Spike.   
  
"She'll never be yours William. Whether you claim her, mate her...whatever. She'll always belong to me. And I'll be damned if I let you two mate." Joyce paled and leaned on the railing trying to catch her breath. Spike growled again and was about to jump out at Angel, but Buffy put her hand on his arm and pulled him back. She stepped forward looking at Angel with disgust.  
  
"You already are damned." She hissed and slammed the door leaving him outside in the cold. 


	3. Chapter 3

Ok I think that after this chapter I need to take a break and outline some more before I can move. Keep the reviews coming! They definately help encourage me to keep writing :)  
  
*************  
  
The next night....  
  
"Mr. Travers are you sure that all this is neccesary?" Wesley asked the head of the council apprehensively inside of GIles' office.   
  
"Absolutely, Mr Wyndam-Price. Now is there anything else about Ms. Summers and her friends that we should know?"  
  
"W-Well. I told you that the one boy is a warewolf?" Wesley laughed nervously as Travers nodded his head. "Are you sure that we need to bug the library?"  
  
"Yes. I have already told you this. My patience is thinning Mr. Wyndam-Price." Quetin Travers paused and gave Wesley a measuring look. "And the Summers house as well. That will need to be bugged as well."  
  
"B-but...I have never been there. I don't know how to..."  
  
"Use the other Slayer and don't tell her what it is. Or get invited over. You are a Watcher and it is you job to be resourceful. Now, let's go over this one more time..."   
  
As Quentin and Wesley talked in private the other three watchers finished setting up listening devices around the library. They went to the counter as they finished and Murdock picked up one of Giles' books and looked at the worn pages with disdain. Just then Faith walked in the library twirling a stake in her hand.  
  
"Yo. You better put Giles' book down. He can tell when they've been moved." Faith leaned on the counter giving the three men appraising looks. "So. Three guys dressed in tweed with superior looks on their faces. You must be watchers." And she smirked as Murdock glared at her. Before they could answer Quentin and Travers stepped out of Giles' office.   
  
"F-Faith. Hello." Wesley said looking uncomfortable.   
  
"Ah. And you must be Ms. Stanely. I am Quentin Travers, head of the Council of Watchers. These are my associates, Mr. Bradburry, Mr. Murdock, and Mr. Chamers. It is a pleasure to meet the one and only Slayer." Quentin studied her and her casual stance and look of rebeliousness in her eye.  
  
"Not only." Faith answered and Quentin raises his eyebrow.  
  
"Really? I thought that Ms. Summers had passed." He narrowed his eyes at her trying to size her up.  
  
"Yeah. B's dead." Faith said casually. "But I meant that chick back east. What's her name? Kennedy?"  
  
"Ah. I see." Quentin continues to study her and Faith shifts uncomfortably.  
  
"So. what are you watcher types doing here anyway?"   
  
"Well Ms. Stanely, we came to meet you actually." Quentin lies. Faith arches her eyebrow.  
  
"Well you met me. See you." She says and turns around to go sit at the table.  
  
"Yes. Charming." Quentin says. He gives Wesley a look and then gestures to the other three watchers and they leave the library leaving only Faith adn Wesley behind.  
  
"Faith. I think it would be best if you didn't..."  
  
"I know Wes. Don't tell anyone. Your secret is safe with me." She replied. At least for now. Faith added to her head. Who should she trust? After all these watchers were supposed to be the good guys and it didn't help that even though she like B and Spike was pretty ok, they still set off her spider sense like there was no tomorrow. Could really trust them? She would just have to wait and see. Play both sides for now because right now she knew that they only person that she could trust was herself. "Well, I gotta patrol. See you Wimpy." And Faith tossed her hair at a sputtering library and left Wesley to his own devices.  
  
Wesley sighed to himself and went back to try to finish translating the half-translated prophecy that Quentin and the others had brought with them from England.  
  
*************  
  
Buffy smiled as Spike took her hand. They were out patrolling and Willow was there helping them plan some things for their mating ceremony and also asking sly questions to help her and Cordelia plan their mating shower. Just then a large ugly demon appeared before them and roared. Buffy sighed getting ready to attack, but Spike stopped her.  
  
"C'mon pet! My injuries are much better now. Let me kill it on my own." Spike asked as the demon took a step forward confused. Why weren't they afraid of him?  
  
"Spike, I'm jsut worried. YOu're mostly better but..."  
  
"Pet, this will give you and Red some time to talk abuot those things that I find incredibly dull. Besides I can take this wanker." Spike looked at her hopefully and Buffy had to smile at the gleeful look he had at the prospect of killing something.  
  
"Oh all right. YOu go kick his butt." She gave him a quick kiss and he jumped at the demon who was still trying to figure out why they weren't scared of him. As Spike and the ugly (and rather stupid) demon began to fight, Willow and Buffy sat down on a tombstone.   
  
"You're sure that you want to be my maid of honor, right Wills?" Buffy asked.  
  
"Of course buffy! Why wouldn't I?"  
  
"Well you know. It's not going to be a real human type wedding and everything..." Buffy trailed off.  
  
"Buffy." Willow said seriously. "You're still my best friend and nothing will ever change that. You have to know that I still love you the same." Buffy sighed and looked at Willow sadly.  
  
"But everything did change...I mean Xander barely talks to me anymore.."  
  
"Buffy. Xander has his own issues that he's working through. And you know that's not about you and me. I'm not like that. Am I?" Willow asked nervously.   
  
"Oh. No. It's just weird you know."  
  
"I can imagine." The two girls sat in silence for a moment.  
  
"So did Spike ask Oz to best his best man yet?" Buffy asked trying to steer the conversation away from the serious note it had taken.  
  
"He did. You're sure you guys don't mind waiting another week so that we can avoid the full moon?"   
  
"No. Of course not. Spike is actually the one who suggested it. I mean you'll never get him to admit it, but he like Oz. In a non-snack food way." They giggled a little, but suddenly stiffened. Something was wrong. She could feel it in her blood. They heard a crack and Spike snapped the demon's neck. Turning to Buffy and WIllow with a smile on his face, he walks over and to them and his smile turns to a frown when he notices the tension in her body.  
  
"What is it pet?" He asks. He looks at Willow who shrugs.  
  
"Something bad is about to happen." Buffy says quietly.   
  
"Slayer..." Spike begins but is interrupted when Angel approached the threesome.  
  
"Hello Buffy. Willow." He greets trying to ignore Spike's presence. "So how are you diong Willow? Everything ok with OZ?"   
  
"Er....yeah." Willow answers hesitantly. As she looks between the three vampires she notices the tension between them. She can practically see the air crackling.  
  
"So what are you doing out here with Buffy and Spike?" Angel asks trying to be friendly towards Willow. He had talked to her in the past and sure they were never really friends, but he had to try if he wanted to woo Buffy away from Spike.  
  
"Oh...us? Well you know..." Willow shifted in her seat uncomfortably. All she could see was Spike's face bloody from his torture when she looked at Angel. Angel sighed.  
  
"I know that it is hard. But I'm trying..."  
  
"To what? Why are you bloody well here?" Spike demands putting his arm around Buffy. As Buffy leans into Spike, all of Angel's plans to slowly woo her break. He growls at them and Willow trembles in fear.  
  
"I'm challenging the claim, William." Buffy and Willow look confused and Spike merely narrows his eyes in hatred at Angel.  
  
"When?" he hisses.  
  
"One week from tonight." Angel says and looks away from Spike and into Buffy's eyes. "DuLac's crypt." Buffy flinches at the mention of the place that started off one of her and Spike's worst fights.   
  
"I accept. Now get the hell out of here you pounce." Spike replies coldly.  
  
"Make sure you bring the witness." Angel says and turns around sharply and disappears into the night. The three remaining friends sit quietly as the tension still surrounds them.  
  
"So." Willow says when their silence becomes unbareable. "Is this just like...oh fiddly-di. I lost the challenge or is it..."  
  
"It's a fight to the death." Spike answers and Buffy grips his hand tightly.  
  
"Oh." Willow repsonds and the silence descends again. "Why is it always a fight to the death? I mean couldn't the rules have been a little bit bloody?"   
  
"Vampires here Red."  
  
"Oh. Right. Ok then." Willow said and they all sat pondering what the future held for them. 


	4. Chapter 4

I would just like to say that i am sorry about the delay. I was going to update last weekend but my friend gave me a free ticket to a DMB concert so I had to attend!  
  
Anyways enough excuses...i have a nice long chapter for you all and i hope that you enjoy! Things start out a little slow in chapter four, but it really starts to pick up at the end...and you get to see the challenge too! Will Angel or Spike die? dum dum dum!  
  
Chapter 4  
  
The night before the challenge:   
  
Faith nervously walked up the path to Giles' house. Her slayer senses were going crazy. She knew that something big was going on and didn't really know what to do or whom she could trust. Should she tell Giles about the watchers that she saw in the library? They just looked like they were up to something. And why would they leave so soon if they really had flown all that way out here just to meet her. She knocked on the door. At least she could talk to Giles about one thing that was on her mind. Leaving Sunnydale.  
  
Giles opened the door and smiled at Faith and quickly invited her.  
  
"What a pleasant surprise." Giles frowned. "Or not. Did you run into something on patrol tonight?"  
  
"No. Nothing like that." Faith fidgeted nervously for a second and Giles looked at her curiously. He had never seen Faith nervous before.  
  
"Won't you sit down Faith?" She gave him a weary smile and sat on the edge of his couch. When Faith still didn't say anything Giles sat down across from her and his curiosity began to grow. "Was there anything in particular Faith?"  
  
"I think I should leave Sunnydale." She blurted out. Giles leaned back and took off his glasses and began to clean them.   
  
"I see. Why do you think this? You are an integral part to our team here." Faith stood up abruptly and began to pace the room.   
  
"Am I? Am I really? Because I think that you already have a slayer here a souled vampire and a-a-a-Spike. There's a witch and a werewolf. I mean don't think I could do more good somewhere else?" Faith sighed and slumped into a chair.  
  
"Faith, I didn't realize that you felt this way. But let me assure you of two things. We do consider you to be a valuable member of our…team as you say. And the second is that Angel is most definitely not part of our team anymore."  
  
"Why? I mean…sure he and Spike hate each other, but he has done a lot of good."  
  
"He is too untrustworthy. We can't take the chance that he will just turn on us all again. There is the soul, but consider his present actions concerning Spike and Buffy, his soul does not seem to make him anymore trustworthy." Faith paused her pacing and looked at Giles seriously.  
  
"But who is trustworthy? I mean, can I trust all of you?" Giles looked at her surprised.  
  
"I don't understand Faith. Have we made you uncomfortable in any way? I thought that you felt you could trust us by now. I had no idea you felt so isolated."  
  
"Well, I mean look around. Spike and Buffy, Xander and Cordelia, Willow and Oz…even you and Joyce have something going on…don't try and deny it." Giles blushed and Faith couldn't help let a smile slip by.  
  
"Well, I do see your point, but there is more to life than a romantic relationship."  
  
"It's not just that. I mean everyone is Buffy's friend. No one here is really my friend. I just think that if I left and went to another town it would be better for everyone."  
  
"We are your friends as well Faith. Just because we knew Buffy first doesn't mean that we don't also care for you."   
  
"Oh c'mon Giles! I know that you wished it was me who died when Wesley called and told you that a new Slayer had been called."  
  
"Faith. Stop. I never wished that you had died."  
  
"But you do wish it was me instead of Buffy." Faith accused bitterly.  
  
"I do love Buffy as a daughter. I have no wish to deny that. But, I do still care about you. You have overcome a lot of trouble in your life and I believe that you are very strong and very capable." Faith sat down again and looked at Giles sadly.  
  
"It's not the same. It's not the same and you know it. That's why I think that I should leave." Giles was quiet for a moment and finally moved to sit next to Faith on the couch.  
  
"Faith. It is true that I may not think of you as a daughter. We don't have the same type of relationship that I have with Buffy." Faith looked away. Even though she knew that they didn't really care about her it still hurt to hear it said out loud. "Maybe more like a niece."  
  
Faith looked up at Giles in surprise and gives him a half smile. "Niece huh?"  
  
"Yes." Giles answered her smiling. He pats Faith on the shoulder and stands up. "Now, I think that if you really do want to leave, we can find you a nice hell mouth of your own. There is one in Cleveland. But, I think that everyone would be sorry to see you go. Why don't you think about a while longer?"  
  
"Sure Giles." Faith smiled feeling much better about her situation there. She could stay in Sunnydale for a bit longer and see what happened. And hey maybe she would get to have her own hell mouth. Even if it was in Cleveland.  
  
*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
"I can't believe I'm about to say this but I really hope that Spike kicks some ass tomorrow night." Xander said. He Cordelia, Oz, and Willow were all gathered in the library waiting for the full moon. Xander and Cordelia had planned on keeping Willow company for a little bit while she wolf-sat. Tomorrow would be the full moon.  
  
"I know what you mean. When we first met Spike, you know parent-teacher night, I never thought that I would ever be rooting for him to kill Angel." Cordelia said. Willow looked up from the spell book that she was browsing through and Oz began to walk to the cage.  
  
"Hey, do you guys think that it's cheating if I put a protection spell on Spike?" Willow asked.  
  
"Yeah. I think that it is." Oz answered taking off his shirt and stepping behind the bookshelf. "I don't think he'll lose though. You guys know how crazy he gets when it comes to Buffy though."  
  
"Yeah but Angel can be just as…crazy." Cordelia answered with a shudder. "Besides, even if it is cheating, who cares? The challenge is tomorrow night and Spike is still a little torn up from his torture…" She abruptly broke off at the memory of her part in the torture and Xander rubbed her shoulder to comfort her. She looked up at him thankfully.  
  
"Well, Will…" he interrupted as oz-wolf growled at them all from the locked cage. "I think that I am going to get Cordy home. You ok here alone Willow?"   
  
"Yeah. I'll be fine. Lots of French homework and a growlie boyfriend to keep me company. You guys should do something fun tonight. I mean tomorrow you're going to be with Buffy trying to keep her from going crazy during the challenge…" Willow trailed off. None of them really liked the idea of this challenge. Spike had already done a lot for all of them, not the least of which was making sure that Buffy didn't dust herself during her first night as a vampire. And he had saved most of their lives at one point or another.   
  
"Yeah. We should." Cordy said and smiled at Willow. "You know even though you guys are losers and I almost got killed by Drusilla…wait where was I going with this?" Xander sighed and put his arm around smiling at Willow.   
  
"You know that's her way of saying she likes us. C'mon Cordy. I'll take you to the Expresso Pump and you can tell me how everyone else's outfit sucks. Including mine." They laughed at each other and the brunette pair left the library to Willow and wolf-oz.  
  
"Well, looks like it's just you and me Oz." Willow said. Oz growled and Willow picked up her French book.  
  
*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
Quentin Travers looked at the transcripts from the various bugging devices he had planted in the Summers home and the library. A sinister smile stretched his face.  
  
"We will attack tomorrow. On the night of the full moon. Only the humans will be with the Slayer and she will be at her most vulnerable."  
  
"But sir…are you sure that this is all necessary? I mean we could study the Slayer in a different way…"  
  
"I am beginning to doubt your loyalty Mr. Bradburry." Travers said coldly.  
  
"He called Mr. Giles." Murdock put in smiling at the glare that Bradburry gave him. Travers gave Bradburry a calculating look.  
  
"I thought that you and Rupert did not get along with each other." Bradburry didn't answer Travers' inquiry. He looked at the floor and Murdock looked between the pair with a sour smile on his face.  
  
"They don't." Chamers put in from the shadows. Travers looked at his three agents.   
  
"Well, we don't really have time for this small talk. We have to plan our assault on the Summers house. Chamers, tell Mr. Wyndam-Price that it is his duty to keep Faith away while our plan is in action." Chamers nodded and left the room. Travers looked at Bradburry intently. "That will be all from both of you. I'll call you when I need you again." Travers said and turned his back on Murdock and Bradburry as they left the room.  
  
  
  
*~*~*~*~*~  
  
The moon was full. Oz was a full wolf and Willow was reading to him from books while Wesley was puttering around in his office. Willow's thoughts soon wandered to the challenge. She wondered what the others were doing. She wished that there were something she could have done to help. Suddenly the door burst open and Faith sauntered into the library.   
  
"Faith! I thought that you would be at Buffy's house." Willow said surprised. Oz-wolf growled at the interruption.  
  
"Nah. Wesley over there wanted to take me on some sort of Slayer training thing." Faith shrugged and Wesley walked out of the office.  
  
"Ah. F-f-f-aith. Good to see you again. Are you ready?" Wesley asked.   
  
"Where are you guys going?" Willow asked.   
  
"It is official Slayer business. I'm afraid I can't tell you." Wesley said snootily.  
  
"Allllriiight." Faith said and made a face behind Wesley's back. Willow giggled and Wesley tried to look dignified.   
  
"Yes. Well. Come Faith." And he walked out of the library.  
  
"See you soon Faith. And you know. Try not to kill Wes." Willow called as Faith departed.  
  
"Yeah yeah. It gets harder everyday." Faith yelled over her shoulder. And the two of them disappeared.  
  
Meanwhile at the cemetery…  
  
Spike paced around Giles waiting for Angel to come. Giles watched him for a while with some amusement. But soon the pacing began to grate on his nerves.  
  
"Spike. Do calm down. You're giving me motion sickness with all your pacing." Spike paused and frowned at Giles.  
  
"Just nervous is all. Been a while since I had an all out brawl with the poof. And it didn't really end in my favor." Spike frowned as he remembered Angelus pushing the stake to his chest in the mineshaft. He just had to win. He couldn't leave Buffy to Angelus.   
  
"I'm sure that you will be fine Spike. I am here to insure a fair fight after all."  
  
"Yeah. Thanks for that by the way." They lapsed into silence and after a bit Spike took off his duster and turned to Giles. "I just want to say watcher…I respect everything that you've done for the Slayer, Buffy I mean. And I wanted you to give her my coat and this ring if anything happens to me. I should have given her the ring before I left but…" He trailed off not wanting to think of the emotional good-bye they had shared earlier in the evening.  
  
"I understand." Giles replied and set his duster down carefully. "I want to let you know that we are all behind you. I never thought it possible for a vampire to change the way you have Spike. I hope that this doesn't sound too fatherly, but I am proud of you."  
  
Spike had his back to Giles and couldn't keep the smile from spreading across his face. He groaned internally at what a pounce he was becoming. "Thanks Watcher." He answered and the two men lapsed again into silence, their own thoughts too loud for any serious conversation to continue.   
  
Angel watched them silently from the bushes and his heart burned at the scene. He had never talked to Giles that way before. Why were they all so intent on accepting SPIKE? He thought angrily. Spike was an evil soulless monster. He felt a strong intense rage boil inside of him. He would kill Spike and take back his place in the Scoobies lives. All logic and remembrance of his own past deeds and ill actions flew out of his head and Angel approached Giles and Spike in front of their appointed meeting place.  
  
"Well, William. Glad that you showed up." Angel smiled evilly. For a minute Giles thought he was looking at Angelus.   
  
"Yeah. Took you long enough you great poof. What did you run out of hair gel?" Angel instinctively reached for his hair and Spike snorted. Angel growled in response.   
  
"Let's skip the banter and get to the fight." Angel snarled and lashed out at Spike, socking him in the jaw. And with that the two began to fight in earnest as Giles watched on.  
  
*~*~*~*~*~  
  
"Wow. Who knew that the game of LIFE would be so un like my life?" Buffy said sarcastically as she put another plastic peg in her car. She had gotten twins. Cordelia snorted.   
  
"I know. The vampire has the most kids!" Joyce chuckled a little bit and tried not to feel a pang of disappointment at never being a grandmother. She spun and moved eight spaces.   
  
"Well, I don't know about you guys, but this is definitely not taking my mind off of what is going on at the DuLac crypt." Xander said and Cordelia kicked him.   
  
"Xander." She hissed and looked anxiously at Buffy.  
  
"It's ok guys. I know. It's all that I can think of too." Buffy said and glanced at her red car full of children. "I hope that Spike is ok."   
  
"Me too." Xander replied and everyone looked at him in surprise. "What? I can like Spike?" At their skeptical looks he sighed. "Ok well like is a little bit too strong of a term. But even I have to admit that he's way better than Angel. And he did save Cordy."   
  
Before any of them could reply, the air around them began to feel heavy and thick and it seemed that shadows began to grow.  
  
"What's going on?" Joyce asked.  
  
"I don't know…" Buffy got up and peered out the window looking for something suspicious. No one noticed the shadows grow and group together until they formed a humanoid shape. It attacked Buffy from behind and she quickly turned to try to protect her mom and friends. Cordelia screamed and Xander leapt up to try to help but he passed right through the shadow. He jumped at it again and passed through it again. Suddenly, the shadow grabbed Buffy by the neck and lifted her up. Joyce screamed and there was a bright flash of light. The air seemed to return to normal and Joyce, Xander, and Cordelia all got up and looked around. Cordelia screamed again and pointed at the floor as she began to cry. Xander and Joyce looked at where she was pointing.   
  
There on the carpet was a big pile of dust.  
  
"Go get Spike. Joyce is going to need her." Cordelia says pulling herself together as Mrs. Summers begins to break down. Xander backs slowly towards the door his eyes never leaving the pile of dust that was once his best friend. "Hurry Xander before there is another pile of dust for us to cry over!"   
  
Xander springs into action and all he can think of as he runs is that he has to get to Spike.  
  
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
Angel's punch sends Spike flying, but the blonde is quickly on his feet and kicks Angel in his already broken ribs. Giles looks between the two vampires who are so evenly matched. They had been fighting for a long time now and it seemed like they were at a standstill. But it also did not look like either one was going to give up anytime soon.   
  
"Well you great pounce. That all you got?" Spike said as he wiped some blood from his mouth. Before Angel could answer Xander raced into the cemetery.  
  
"STOP! Stop! You have to stop!" He shouted. They ignored him and Angel took the opportunity to pounce on Spike. As he lifted the stake in his hand Spike struggles ineffectively and prepares for the end. Xander still running to the pair kicks the stake out of Angel's hand. They look at him in surprise.  
  
"Listen, Xander" Angel began tersely.   
  
"No! You listen for once dead boy. Buffy's gone."   
  
"What?" Spike says and manages to push Angel off him as his grip loosens. "What are you talking about monkey boy? Gone?"  
  
"She's…." Xander looks over at Giles who walks over to the group with a frown on his face. "She's dust."  
  
"What?" Spike chokes. It feels as though the world is falling away. "No. You're mistaken. She was at home. SAFE AT BLOODY HOME!" Spike's demon comes forth and he lunges at Xander. Angel catches him before he can attack and Xander falls down.   
  
"There was this shadow monster. It just appeared and Buffy fought it and it-it-it staked her. I saw her turn to dust." Xander said and he finally allowed himself to break down. Spike went limp in Angel's arms and Angel himself looked like he was about to faint. Giles was pale. They had lost her again. For a third and final time.   
  
"Xander. You take Spike back to Joyce. I assume he is the reason you came here?" Giles began and Xander nodded an affirmative. "I am going to the library to inform Willow. Angel could you please come with me to the library…"   
  
"Of course." Angel said quietly. Xander took Spike's duster and without a word began to lead the stricken vampire back to the Summers house.  
  
Giles entered the library with a silent Angel behind him. Willow jumps up and drops her book. Oz-wolf growled at them and the interruption.   
  
"Oh hey Giles, Angel…oh. Oh god. Does this mean? Is Spike gone?" She looked at them fearfully. She should have done the protection spell anyways-stupid rules. Stupid vampires and their fight to the death!  
  
"No. Willow. Spike is fine." Giles reassured her.   
  
"Oh. Good. Oh. I mean, I'm glad that you're alive too Angel. And er…"  
  
"We cancelled the challenge." Angel said softly.  
  
"Why?"  
  
"Willow. Perhaps you should sit down." Giles told her and took off his glasses and began to polish them.  
  
"Uh-oh. Glasses cleaning. It must be bad." She joked. Then she noticed their serious expressions and sucked in a breath. "Is it bad?"  
  
"Buffy's been dusted." Giles said soberly.   
  
"What?" Willow couldn't believe what they were saying. "It's not possible."  
  
"Xander said he saw it. He ran and broke up the fight." Angel answered her unable to look her in the eye. If he hadn't insisted on that stupid challenge Buffy could still be alive…well undead.   
  
"No." Willow whispered. "This can't be true."  
  
"I'm afraid it is." Giles said choking on his own emotions. As Willow began to cry Oz-wolf began to howl. Giles and Angel couldn't think of anything to say to make it better.  
  
*~*~*~*~*~  
  
Quentin Travers entered the room with a superior smile on his face. Everything had gone according to his plan. It was all working out perfectly. He glanced at the figure bound and gagged in the corner of the room.  
  
Buffy looked up at Quentin Travers with her feelings clearly etched on her face. She wanted to rip him to shreds. She couldn't wait until Spike came for her. It would be her first kill but it would be worth any torment on her soul to wipe that smug smile off his ugly face.  
  
"I know what you're thinking Ms. Summers. They'll come for you. I bet you're thinking of William the Bloody coming to your rescue and then the two of you feeding off my lifeless body." He laughed and Buffy had to work to contain her laughter. "They won't come for you."Buffy starts to struggle again and Quentin smirks at her.  
  
"No my dear. They won't come." He calmly walks over to speaker and flips the switch. The sound of Joyce's crying comes over the speaker. They hear a door open and close.  
  
"Spike! Thank goodness you're alright." Joyce cries.  
  
"Joyce. Tell me it isn't true. Where is she?"  
  
"I'm sorry Spike. I-I- my baby!" Joyce says and begins to cry once more.  
  
"No. Not Buffy! BUFFY!" Spike yells at the top of his lungs and then his tears can be heard mixing in with Joyce's already frantic sobs.   
  
"Spike. We put her dust in this urn. We knew you would want to keep it." Cordelia said.   
  
"I just can't believe she's gone." Spike said forlornly.  
  
Travers flipped the switch back and looked at Buffy with mock-sympathy.   
  
"So you see Ms. Summers. No one will be coming for you. Not when they think you're dust. They'll move on. Live their lives. Perhaps William the Bloody will even take a different mate. They'll forget you." Quentin smirks at her again and leaves the room, as Buffy can no longer hold back her tears.  
  
Bradburry watched the scene carefully and sighs at Travers words. He can still hear the sob echoing of Buffy's friends and family as they begin to deal with what they think is her final death. Bradburry doubts that they will really move on as easily as Travers implied. As their agony repeats again and again in his mind, Bradbury begins to wonder where the line between good and evil exists anymore.  
  
******  
  
wahaha! Did you really think that I would kill off Buffy that early? Still got a ways to go! 


	5. Chapter 5

Hey everyone! Hope that you havent forgotten about me. I meant to have this updated last weekend but I was feeling uninspired. So here is the next chapter and hopefully I will have chapter 6 up before the weekend is over!  
  
***********  
  
Chapter 5  
  
England and a Funeral  
  
Two nights after Buffy was taken the Scoobies gathered in the Summers backyard to give Buffy a proper farewell. They had wanted to do something in her honor. Spike and Joyce could barely stand up and Spike was clutching the urn containing Buffy's ashes.  
  
"I have been a Watcher for many years and I believe that of all the Slayers that I have studied, Buffy was the most unique." Giles began. He took off his glasses to clean them as his emotions overwhelmed him. "It wasn't her strength or battle skills that made her the best. It was her loyalty and her love of those around her." Giles choked on his words and stepped back next to Joyce who patted him on the shoulder.   
  
"Buffy was one of my best friends. I would probably be dead if it weren't for her. From the first time I met she was saving my life in one way or another. From encouraging me to put myself out there to, you know actually saving my life. I just wish that I could have said good-bye…" Willow trailed off and Oz put his arm around her. Xander looked at the group morosely.  
  
"Buffy meant so much to me and I don't think that she knew it. I wish that I hadn't been so distant lately just because she was turned." Xander paused and looked at Cordelia who put her arm through his. "Cordelia told me I was being an idiot and I should have listened. Now…now it's too late." Xander covered his eyes and he began to cry. "I just wish I could take it back."  
  
Joyce broke out of her stupor and insisted that they go inside. The group followed her inside leaving Faith and Wesley standing outside by themselves.   
  
"So." Faith began. "It's sort of odd how all this happened on the night of our special Slayer training."   
  
"I don't know what you're implying Faith."  
  
"I think you do." Faith looked at him coldly and he fidgeted under her gaze.  
  
"I don't have to stand here and take these accusations." And he gave her a cold look and left the backyard. Faith followed him with her eyes until he was out of sight.   
  
"Something's off." Faith muttered under her breath and went in to talk to Giles. There was one thing that was finally sure of, she couldn't trust Wesley.  
  
*~*~*~*~*~  
  
Buffy could hear them in her head.   
  
"Joyce. Tell me it isn't true. Where is she?"  
  
Buffy felt the tears begin again. She couldn't stop them even though it seemed like she shouldn't be able to cry anymore.  
  
"I'm sorry Spike. I-I- my baby!" Joyce says and begins to cry once more.  
  
She wanted to go to them. Tell them she was ok. Hug her mom and kiss Spike so hard he wouldn't doubt that she was real.  
  
"No. Not Buffy! BUFFY!"   
  
But she couldn't. All she could do was sit here in her underground cell. She knew that she wasn't in Sunnydale anymore. But that was all she knew. It was dark in the cell and she no longer knew if it was night or day.  
  
"Spike. We put her dust in this urn. We knew you would want to keep it."   
  
Her tears picked up as she imagined him in her head, clutching at some urn that had some random vampire's dust in it. She hated Quentin Travers with such intensity. Not for taking her but for the torture that he was putting her family through.   
  
"I just can't believe she's gone." Spike said forlornly.  
  
"No baby. I'm still here. Come for me Spike. Please." Buffy murmured. If they had mated before this happened then he would know. Know she was alive and he would be coming for her. But she was stubborn. If they had just done it and not worried about telling everyone and just done it right away like he had wanted…they could have avoided this and that stupid challenge.   
  
Buffy quickly wiped her face when she heard the door start to open. She rattled her chains as fury swept through her when she picked up the unmistakable scent of Quentin Travers.  
  
"YOU BASTARD!" She yelled as Travers and Murdock entered the room.  
  
"Now, now. Ms. Summer it seems that demon in you have given you quite the temper. Now we are here to ask you about your turning."  
  
"Go to hell." Buffy replied and Murdock took a wooden paddle and smacked her across the face. Buffy rubbed her chin and could already feel a bruise forming. Travers calmly opened up a notebook and took a pen from his pocket.  
  
"What were your final thoughts before you died?" He asked calmly.  
  
"Bite me." She replied and was smacked again. Her mind was working overtime. Why were they so interested in this? Surely other slayers had been turned in the past.   
  
"How did Angelus get to you?"  
  
"Go screw yourself." She was smacked three times. Once on her head and then on her neck. Her last thoughts? Could it have been her concern for her friends and family that kept her soul grounded?   
  
Travers continued his questioning but Buffy refused to give him the satisfaction of actually answering. He glared at her in annoyance.  
  
"Very well Ms. Summers. Since you refuse to cooperate with us, I am afraid that I must move to the next set of tests. Murdock. Tell Chamers to come in with the rest of the equipment."   
  
Buffy blanched at the sinister look that the two gave her. But she wouldn't give them the satisfaction of knowing that she was afraid. She was a survivor. She could take whatever they dished out and she WOULD find a way to escape and get back to Sunnydale. Back to her family and Spike.   
  
Chamers came in the room wheeling a cart full of blades and crosses and bottles of holy water. The three looked at Buffy expectantly but she closed off her face and pushed her panic down. Travers smiled evilly.  
  
"Let's begin."  
  
*~*~**~*~*~*~  
  
Bradburry watched the scene unfold from his place in the control room. He was monitoring the turned Slayer as well as her friends and family in Sunnydale. His stomach turned when he saw some of the instruments on the torture cart.   
  
"This has gone far enough." He whispered and a plan began to form in his mind. If Rupert wouldn't talk to him then he would have to find someone else who would.  
  
*~*~*~*~*~  
  
Angel stared at the moon. It was no longer full but he could feel the guilt about his challenge overwhelm him. He had let his jealousy about Spike's position in Buffy's life overwhelm him and now she was gone. Forever.   
  
Angel sighed and walked back inside the mansion. He finally realized that Buffy was right. He was selfish. Incredibly selfish. He had killed her, tortured Spike and Cordelia and just expected everything to be exactly the same as before. If he hadn't been so caught up in his own envy maybe Buffy would've been able to beat that shadow monster or whatever it was that had staked her.   
  
It all came down to the same thing in his mind. It was his fault that Buffy was dead and it was his fault that she was dusted. Maybe Spike could've saved her if he was there. Gulping down a cold packet of pigs blood Angel realized that there was only thing that he could do now. Make sure that Buffy's friends and family were safe. He would protect them all as part of penance. Including Spike.  
  
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
Faith walked into the Summers house and looked around for Giles. He was talking to Willow and Oz. She steeled herself and went over to him, it time for her to pick a side and she knew which side she was going to choose.  
  
"Giles can I talk to you?" Faith asked. Giles looked to Willow and she nodded at him and Giles turned to look at Faith. She had a determined look about her that was a bit out of place at the moment.   
  
"Faith is everything all right?"  
  
"No. It's not alright." She paused and Giles motioned for her to continue. "I've been thinking about some stuff and I don't think that everything is adding up."  
  
"What do you mean Faith?"  
  
"Well…why was my 'special training session' on the same night as Buffy's death? And have you noticed how Wes is all extra-jumpy lately? You know? And what about the fact that those Watchers just happened to be in town…"  
  
"Watchers?" Giles interrupted looking at her intently. "What watchers?"   
  
"You didn't know? They said that they came in town to check on me. I saw them a few days ago. But they must have said something to Wesley because he looked really pale…"  
  
"Of course!" Giles said and he felt like kicking himself. If only he had talked to Bradburry. But he thought that he had been calling from England. Not from Sunnydale. He really needed to get caller ID. "Faith, I must go call Bradburry. I'll be at home if anything come up." Faith nodded a little surprised at Giles' response. But she didn't have time to think about it because Joyce came up to her to talk.  
  
"Faith dear. I just wanted to thank you for coming. I know that you and Buffy had been drifting apart lately, but Buffy always said that when she died that I should give you something." Faith looked at the older woman with tears in her eyes. Joyce handed her Mr. Pointy.  
  
"No. Joyce I can't."   
  
"Nonsense dear. She told me to give it to you. After she was turned and death became something that we felt a little closer we had a talk about it." Joyce hugged Faith and Faith felt a weight lift off of her. Quickly hugging Joyce back she pulled away.  
  
"This means a lot to me." Joyce gave her a watery smile and went over to Spike who was sitting on the couch staring at the urn forlornly. Faith knew what she had to do. She had to make sure that Buffy's death didn't go un-avenged. She would protect them all just like Buffy had before she died. This was her place now. For better or for worse. She just really hoped that things would get better.  
  
*******  
  
As always keep the reviews coming :) 


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6  
  
Giles rushed to his house as quickly as his crappy little car would allow. He cursed as it stalled out in the street. **Bugger.I should really get a new car. Maybe something red and sporty** He thought as his car lurched to a halt in his drive. Rushing into the house he walked determinedly to his phone. He knew the number from long ago, but still he hesitated when he dialed. Gritting his teeth Giles knew what had to be done. He had to put the past behind him.  
"Bradburry speaking." A crisp English voice answered the phone only to be greeted with silence. "Hello?" Giles sighed.  
"You were in Sunnydale when you called weren't you?"  
"Ripper." Bradburry paused. He wanted to help his old friend and the Slayer but he would have to be careful. The door opened and Chamers came up from the torture chamber. He would have to be careful. "Yes. That's true."  
"You BASTARD! First you get Fiona killed and now Buffy! I know that you helped them in whatever they did to get to her. Blasted Council. When I find you-"  
"Shut-up." Bradburry hissed. Chamers looked at him skeptically and Bradburry turned away. "All I can say is that when the dust settles, not everything is as it seems."  
"What? What does that mean?"  
"Go talk to your associate." Bradburry said before hanging up his phone quickly. Chamers looked at him curiously.  
"Who was that?"  
"That?" Bradburry panicked. "Err.my.maid. Yes. She was having some trouble." Chamers looked at him skeptically.  
"If you've got a girl on the side, no one really cares." He replied before rolling his eyes and leaving room. Bradburry looked at the closed door with his mouth agape.  
  
On the other side of the Atlantic Giles looked at the phone in his hand curiously. It started to beep at him and he hastily hung it back up. Dust settling? What could that mean? It could only mean that Buffy had indeed not been dusted.that would the easiest explanation. And talk to you an associate? Giles thought for a second. Wesley. Of course! The Council would need someone here who knew their group and could tell them the inner workings of their group. Well, one thing was certain. They would need to have a 'chat' with Mr. Wyndam-Price. A cruel smile lit up Giles' face as he called the Scoobies and told them to meet him at the library.  
  
*~*~*~*~*~  
  
Faith smiled in satisfaction as the dust from her prey settled around her. That was the fifth one tonight and even though the glint in her eye told the world that she was having fun, she was silent. Hearing a scream Faith ran off to another part of the cemetery and her eyes lit up in anticipation as she saw an ugly horned demon circling a young girl.  
"Get away from her." Faith intoned coldly. The demon smirked at her.  
"Make me." And without anymore preamble Faith pounced and the fight began. The girl wisely ran from the fight and Faith made sure she was out of sight and then deftly snapped the demon's neck. Brushing off her hands she turned to find her next kill when a sorrowful voice called to her.  
"Faith." Angel said stepping from behind a statue. He had been watching her for the better part of the night. She seemed to be missing her zest and he was worried about her. If she wasn't careful she could start to like the killing too much and start to isolate herself from the others. "You can go. I'll take over patrol."  
"No way. I am in the mood for a little action." She answered brusquely. She NEEDED to help.  
"It's fine. I don't mind."  
"But I do." Faith said sharply and glared at him. "I'm going to keep patrolling whether you like it or not." Angel was a little taken aback at her adamance but he started to get irritated as well. He knew that she had already been out there for a few hours and had to be getting tired. It was his turn now to help the helpless!  
  
"Faith. You've been out here for hours. I think that I should take over for tonight." His voice raised a little as he started to get frustrated. She merely rolled her eyes.  
"No way! I'm the Slayer and I decide when I slay and when I don't. And right now I slay!"  
"I want to!" Angel shouted and winced when he realized that he sounded just like a teenage girl.  
"No.it's my job!" They stood there for a moment glaring at each. "Uh. Angel?" Faith asked tentatively.  
"What?" He was still feeling a little irritated that she apparently didn't want him to help out around town.  
"Are we really arguing about who gets to protect the town more?" She asked with a half smile on her face. Angel soon saw the irony and looked at her a bit sheepishly.  
"I think that we are." Faith laughed. Vampires looked funny when they were sheepish.  
"What do you say that you and me work as a team and help protect the Scoobies and the rest of this sorry town?" Angel gave her a half smile and swept his hand in front of him in a mock bow.  
"Lead the way." Faith laughed again and the two unlikely allies walked off into the night ready to kill some evil.  
  
From the shadows of a mausoleum Wesley watched the souled vampire and slayer walk off companionably. He frowned. It was happening again. It seemed that Angel was getting close to another slayer and that could only end in one thing: his soul being lost and another slayer being turned. Well, he would not shirk his duty this time. Wesley marched off in the direction of the library. He knew that Quentin Travers would be very interested to learn of this new blossoming friendship.  
  
*~*~**~*~*  
  
The four teens looked at Giles in shock. He paused as he took in their expressions. He knew that telling them what he had learned from Faith and then from Bradburry would be a little hard to swallow, but they didn't have time to sit about if Buffy was still alive.  
"So you're saying that the Buffster is still among the undead?" Xander asked breaking the tense silence.  
"I believe so." Giles answered.  
"And that the Watchers all set this up?" Cordelia asked. At least they knew that vampires were supposed to be all-evil but she always thought that Watchers were the good guys.  
"That means that Wesley had to have helped set her up." Willow said in an icy voice that none of them recognized. Oz put his hand on Willow's arm and she have him a small smile in reassurance then went back to business. "If it was a spell that they used to make it seem like there was a monster attacking her then all traces would be gone."  
"That would also explain why Xander just went right through the thing when he tried to attack it." Cordelia replied. She still couldn't believe that the supposed good guys would kidnap Buffy and torture them all by making them think that she was dead.  
Just then Wesley walked in the library. He gave the group what he though appeared to be a sympathetic smile and began to walk into the office to place his phone call about Faith. Xander saw red. All he could see was Wesley smirking at him and jumped from his seat beside Cordelia.  
"You bastard! You knew all along!" Xander punched a shocked Wesley in the face. Wesley fell to the ground and Xander stormed out of the library leaving a shocked Wesley behind. Cordelia quickly followed after Xander grabbing her purse and shooting Wesley a dirty look.  
"What was that all about?" Wesley asked as he got to feet and brushed some dust off of his impeccable suit. Giles turned to glare at him and quickly grabbed him by the collar and pushed him in the wall.  
"We know about the Council's plans for Buffy. We know that you helped them." Giles hissed. Wesley paled and looked to Willow and Oz for help. But Willow's eyes were nearly black and Oz looked like he was about to change into his wolf form any second.  
"They made me do it!" Wesley cried out. Giles' eyes narrowed further.  
"We know she's alive. Where is she?"  
"They wouldn't tell me." Wesley muttered. Then he looked at them in all seriousness. "They don't trust me anymore than you do. They told me that they had killed her and I believed them. But I heard Quentin talking to her before they left for England." He paused and looked at the others. "They probably took her with them." Giles frowned at Wesley but his frown was quickly turned into a smirk.  
"Thank-you Wesley." Wes watched him warily before inching towards the door. Giles let him go a few step before clonking him over the head with the book on vampires that he had picked up from the nearby table. Wesley slumped to the ground unconscious. "You'll be coming with us." He said to the unconscious watcher and signaled to Willow and Oz to help him tie Wesley.  
  
*~*~*~*~*  
  
Xander slammed open the door to the school and strode angrily out into the night not really hearing Cordelia yelling at him to wait up. All he could hear was the buzzing in his ears. Suddenly Xander feels a pain explode in his head and the world goes black.  
"Xander!" Cordelia yelled from the doorway. She saw the vampire sneaking up on Xander, but he was too pulled into his rage to hear her warning. Feeling an intense panic well up within her, Cordelia screamed at the top of her lungs. Fortunately the vampire stopped before he actually bit Xander. Unfortunately his attention was now focused on Cordelia.  
"I was just going to eat your boyfriend girly. But now I think that I'll turn you and let you do it instead." He said and smiled at her through his fangs. Cordelia scrambled to pull the cross out of her back but the vampire was too fast and quickly had her pushed up against a wall. She could feel his breath on her and just as his fangs pricked her skin, she felt a shower of dust and Angel stands where he would-be killer once was.  
"Thanks." She says unsurely and flinches when Angel moves to help steady her still shaking form. Before the situation can become more awkward, Cordelia quickly went over to where Xander is still unconscious. Faith bounds over to the trio.  
"You guys ok?" She asks Cordelia.  
"I'm fine. And Xander will be fine too once the swelling goes down from this lump on his head." Cordelia smiles a bit sadly at Faith. Can't they have one day where someone isn't attacked?  
"I'm sorry." Angel whispers. Cordelia can feel her fear bubbling up inside of her and quickly tries to push it down remembering what Giles told her.  
"No. Thank-you for saving us." Cordy answered and Xander groans as he begins to come to.  
"I'd better go." Angel says as Xander begins to shake himself awake. Faith gave Angel a small smile while he turned to leave the three teens on their own.  
"Wait. You can't go." Angel and Faith look at Cordelia in surprise. Xander sits up and nods at her giving her his support. Cordelia stands up helping Xander to his feet and Faith helps to steady him as Cordelia moves to Angel. "We're going to need all the help that we can get."  
"What? Why? I mean you know that I'm still here patrolling and everything." Angel stops once he notices the impatient look in Cordelia's eyes.  
"Buffy's alive." Faith almost dropped Xander as soon as Cordelia spoke those words.  
"Impossible!" The brunette Slayer exclaimed before she could stop herself. Cordy merely rolled her eyes at the pair.  
"Ok. She's undead. The Council kidnapped her and made us think she's dust." Stunned silence greeted this revelation until Angel spoke in a tone that made their blood run cold.  
"We have to go tell Spike and then.and then we need to go and kill some Watchers."  
  
**~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
hee hee  
  
I hope that you guys liked that. I had this really bad feeling that this chapter was going to be sorta lame because I have all these plans for Chapter 7 that I needed to get set up. I would also like your opinion about a couple of things that I have been pondering since starting this sequel. The first is if I should have Faith and Angel hook up or just have them stay friends. I am leaning towards just friends but I thought it could work either way but if I wanted them to be more it would have to start to heat up a bit more. Also, I am a bit at a loss with what to do with Wesley. Should he be redeemed or continue to be a jerk. Sigh. Give me your opinions please! I really want to know what you guys are thinking. ( 


	7. Chapter 7

AN: Ok so I lied. I thought that I would have this up last week but i just couldnt get this chapter out for some reason. There are only two more chapters left which are all planned out and i just have to get to it and write. So review review review if you want me to update faster!  
  
******************  
  
Angel and Faith stared at Cordelia in shock. Buffy wasn't dust? It was almost too much to take in. Before they could ask any questions, Giles, Willow, and Oz came out of the school dragging a bound and gagged Wesley between them. Giles gave Faith and Angel a sinister smile.  
  
"I see you've heard the news. We're going to get her back." The other two could only nod, still too stunned by the recent knowledge to form any coherent thoughts.   
  
"What are we going to do?" Cordelia asked while checking to make sure that a still unconscious Xander wasn't seriously injured.  
  
"First we have to go tell Mrs. Summers and Spike." Willow said. "And then we're gonna go to England."   
  
"England?" Faith asked.  
  
"Yes. The Council is behind it all." Giles informed her.  
  
"Those bastards! I knew something was up!" Faith yelled and shifted Xander so Cordelia was holding him and went over and punched Wesley in the nose. "You prick! You knew all this time!" She went to punch him again but Willow put a hand on her shoulder.  
  
"Don't worry Faith. We're going to make them pay." The girls exchanged a gleeful look and Willow starting walking towards Giles' car.   
  
"I don't think there's enough room for all of you…" Giles began.   
  
"Well my car is right over there." Cordelia said and Faith moved over to help her carry Xander to the car. Angel grabbed Wesley by the scruff of the neck.  
  
"I know just where you can sit." He told the watcher and picked him up and tossed Wesley into the trunk of Giles' car. "Perfect fit." Giles slammed the lid shut and shared and moved to go to the driver's seat, but Angel stopped him. "Giles, let me tell Spike about Buffy being alive." Giles looked at him skeptically.  
  
"I don't know if that is the best idea…"  
  
"No. We've had our troubles with each other over the past hundred years or so, but I need to do this. I need make things right after everything I've put him through. Especially after these few years." Giles merely nodded and they loaded into his rusty Citroen and followed Cordelia's car to the Summers' house.  
  
*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
Spike sat on the couch next to Joyce with an old photo album spread out over his lap. He smiled sadly as he looked at a picture of Buffy with her hair in pigtails blowing out five candles on the top of her birthday cake. His hand traced over her childish features and he felt tears welling up in his eyes.   
  
"She was still so young…" Joyce murmured as they poured over the album.  
  
"Not be another one like her." Spike said quietly. They both sat in quiet reflection for a moment but a loud knock at the door interrupted them. "That'll be the sodden Scooby gang. I'll just be out back for a smoke Joyce."   
  
"Are you sure Spike? I know that they would want to see you as well as me." Joyce said before walking towards the door.  
  
"Yeah. I'm just gonna go and wallow like a git. Nothing anyone can do to help me." Spike got up and walked out the back door as Joyce opened the door to the gang with a half smile.   
  
Spike lit up his cigarette and closed the door as he heard the Scoobies' excited voices. He frowned. What were they all happy about? He couldn't see anything that would make them sound like the world wasn't ending. Because his world had already ended. He blew the smoke out and froze as he felt a familiar presence nearby. Spike threw the cigarette to the ground and stalked over to where Angel standing.  
  
"What the BLOODY HELL are you doing here you wanker?" His hands clenched into fists and Angel merely strolled towards the enraged blonde vampire.  
  
"I wanted to be the one to tell you-"  
  
"Tell me what you wanker? You poofy haired git? Tell me it's your fault that she's gone? That if you hadn't been a right wanker and challenged me we might not have had to lose her! You don't need to tell me! I know that already."  
  
"Spike. I came to tell you that I am going to take back my challenge. I'll even bless your mating." Angel carried on as if the younger vampire had never spoken. Spike let out a bitter laugh.  
  
"A little late for that. I can't mate with a pile of dust peaches. Is this just to pour salt in my wound? Wasn't that a bit more Angelus' style?" Angel flinched at that and then looked at Spike and gave him an evil smile.  
  
"She's alive."  
  
"Impossible." Spike scoffed taking out another cigarette. Angel rolled his eyes.  
  
"She's undead. The Council took her."  
  
"Council?"  
  
"Council of Watchers."  
  
"Council of wankers more like." Spike looked at Angel his demon face flickering forward. "Blood is going to flow." Angel returned his look with an evil grin.  
  
"We have a plan." Spike smirks back at Angel and turns quickly back into the house. Time to get his girl back.  
  
*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
Cordelia looked up from her seat on the couch when Spike stomped into the house with an evil look on his face. She looked over his shoulder just in time to see Angel bump against the barrier. She took in a sharp breath and the others followed her eyes to where Angel was leaning against the entrance.  
  
"I'll just listen from here." He assured them. "It's ok." He added quietly when Faith looked as though she was about to protest. Cordelia looked at him strangely. She knew that it was her decision and their plans to get Buffy back would work a lot better if they were all working together as a team.   
  
"Mrs. Summers, you can invite him in."  
  
"No. Cordelia. Buffy was right when she told me before that we had to do what we could to make you feel safe. Don't do it for me."  
  
"I'm not. I'm doing it for me."   
  
"That's my girl!" Xander quipped and Cordelia smacked him across the chest as everyone else in the room glared at him. "What?" Xander asked as he reached for a cookie Joyce had just finished baking. Cordelia merely rolled her eyes at him but she had a slight smile on her face glad that Xander always knew how to make a tense moment less…tense.  
  
"Come in Angel." Joyce said and the group only had one member that missing. But they knew they were going to get her back.  
  
*~*~*~*~*~  
  
Buffy groaned as she door to her cell bang open. She felt the ache in her body from the bruises that they had already inflicted on her during her "talks" with Travers. So far there really hadn't been that much damage. They tried to burn her with holy water and crosses but they didn't really have an affect on Buffy.  
  
"Now Ms. Summers. Are you ready to answer my questions?" Buffy shuddered when she heard his voice.   
  
"Never." She growled at him. He nodded to the man behind him- Murdock- Buffy thought and he left the room.  
  
"Now, now, now. No need to take this all so personally. If you would just answer my questions then I would put you out of your misery." Buffy glared at him defiantly and Travers sighed. "Ms. Summers you know that no one is coming to save you. They think you're dead. So why not just give up."   
  
Their chat was interrupted as Murdock came back in the room with the same cart of torture instruments. Only this time there was no holy water or crosses. Only knives. And stakes. Buffy tried to struggle but the chains held her firmly in place.   
  
"What were your last thoughts before you changed over?" Travers began in an almost bored voice.  
  
"I'll never tell you, you pompous prick." Buffy snapped before the torture began. She screamed in pain and as her screams tapered off another rang in her ears. All she could do was glare at him defiantly and hope that she would pass out soon.  
  
From his place in the observation room Bradburry watched as Travers and his men tortured Buffy. He shuddered as they plunged a second knife in her wrist. This was wrong. It was too far. Finally she seemed too weak to move and they unchained her from the wall so they could get to her back. This was too far. He couldn't wait for Giles and the rest of the Sunnydale gang to figure it out. She might be dead before they got there. Bradburry grabbed the phone and dialed a well-known number.   
  
"Hello?…Bradburry here sir…I know…we have to move soon…I'll be waiting." He hung up the phone and sighed. He glared at Travers' image on the screen and defiantly switched it off. He couldn't watch that any longer. Lately, he had begun to wonder if all the demons were kept out of pristine walls of the Watcher's Council.  
  
~*~*~*~*~  
  
Spike made another lap of the hotel room in England as Angel sharpened an axe from his spot on one of the beds. Willow scrunched up her nose as she tried to make the code that she was seeing make sense.   
  
"Dammit Spike! Will you stop pacing!" Angel yelled throwing the axe to the ground. Giles glared at them and put his hand over his ear as he tried to concentrate on his phone conversation.  
  
"Sod off pillock!" Angel growled and stood up.  
  
"Don't talk to me that way boy."  
  
"Don't call me boy, wanker." They both growled at each other.   
  
"Oh shut up both of you! You're both just being loud and obnoxious and it is not helping me hack into the Watcher's Council files!" Willow interrupted them. The turned to look at her and gave her sheepish looks. "Plus Giles is on the phone." Willow went back to her work and the other resumed their respective pacing and axe sharpening.  
  
Back in Sunnydale Xander listened patiently as Giles explained for the fiftieth time that they needed information that Wesley had in order to help them rescue Buffy. Xander looked over at where they had Wesley tied to a chair in the Summers living room. It had been two days since they found out about Buffy's being alive and Wesley still hadn't told them anything useful.  
  
"We need him to talk." He said to Cordelia.  
  
"I really don't think that he knows anything." She replied and went upstairs to the bathroom.  
  
"Giles, we still don't think that he knows anything."  
  
"Is Faith back from patrol?"   
  
"No." Xander replies and Wesley's voice from the living room intrudes on their conversation.  
  
"If she is still alive then I am sure that Quentin is making her wish that she wasn't."  
  
"SHUT UP!" Xander yelled at him and strode angrily into the living room.  
  
"She's nothing but a filthy vampire now." Wesley continued.   
  
"I thought I said shut your mouth." Xander growled and backhanded Wesley.   
  
"Xander? What's going on?" Giles' voice called from the phone handset gripped loosely in Xander's hand.  
  
"He'll most likely torture her far worse than Angelus ever could…"  
  
"STOP TALKING!" Xander yelled and dropped the phone and began to attack Wesley with a vengeance. The noise brought Joyce rushing into the living room and picks up the phone from the floor.   
  
"Rupert? I'm afraid that Xander is currently beating Wesley to a bloody pulp."  
  
"Really?" Giles replied slightly upset that he was missing it.  
  
"Yes. Just a few more hits and I'll break it up. But I wanted to let you know that we are going to have to gag him. He doesn't know anything. Remember, this Travers person told him they were going to…"  
  
"Yes. I know Joyce. It's ok. I was just hoping…well never mind. We'll get her back."  
  
"Hurry Rupert."  
  
"I will." Joyce sighed as she hung up the phone and placed it on the table. She grimaced as she took in the fight still raging in her living room, smiling in satisfaction as she heard Wesley's nose break. Joyce sighed and moved cautiously towards Xander. Time to be an adult and spoil all the fun.  
  
Giles sighed as he hung up the phone.   
  
"What's wrong?" Willow asked him looking up from the computer screen.  
  
"Wesley doesn't know anything and I'm going to have to call someone that I would rather not talk to."  
  
"Why not?"   
  
"It's complicated." Giles replied as he sat on the bed opposite from Angel and began to polish his glasses. Spike abruptly stopped his pacing.  
  
"Sod complicated. Call the git so we can get Buffy back." Giles merely pinched his nose and tried to ignore Spike's pacing.  
  
"Let's calm down and think about this rationally…" Willow began.  
  
"Buffy's in trouble! Who knows what those bloody wankers are going to do! Are doing now? We need help! You call this git and I'll force him to help us." Giles began to polish his glasses again, unable to meet Spike's eyes as he slumped further into the chair.  
  
"Spike. Give Giles a break. You know that we all want to get Buffy back…" Angel tried to reason.  
  
"No! How can you even suggest that I relax! I-"  
  
"Dammit Spike!"  
  
"Now we don't need to be sitting here snapping at each other…"  
  
"This is the crack team that stopped all my evil plans. I am deeply ashamed."  
  
"Spike do shut up."  
  
"Could we try to…"  
  
"Not now Willow. Why don't you both just-"  
  
"SHUT UP!" Willow finally yelled getting tired of them ignoring her. With a flip of her wrist Giles, Angel, and Spike all lost their voices. "Now, you can all keep acting like babies and wave your hands in the air but we need to stay together…Giles why don't you tell us what's wrong?" She turned to look at him expectantly and he rolled his eyes and pointed to his throat. "Uh right." Willow waved her hand again and the three men regained the power of speech.  
  
"It was shortly after I returned to Oxford to re-take my place and train as a Watcher. I became fast friends with Maxwell Bradburry. He had had similar doubts as I and had rebelled against having his life planned out by some archaic family calling. My younger sister, Fiona had come to visit me a few times and developed a rather large crush on him. I told Bradburry to stop leading her on but he thought that it was all in good fun. One night she followed him out and was attacked by vampires. We thought that she had merely gone home without saying goodbye but several nights later we found we were wrong. She had been turned." Willow gasped and Angel and Spike looked rather uncomfortable. "Bradburry fled and in the end I was the one who staked her. I can never forgive him for that." The group was silent for a while as Giles' words sunk in.  
  
"Don't let another girl that you love suffer because of that git." Spike said softly with compassion. Giles cleaned his glasses again and the room was locked in silence as he walked over to the hotel phone and dialed.  
  
"Hello…This is Ripper, Bradburry…I need your help…Yes…Very good…Thank-you." He hung up and faced the others a slow smile spreading across his face. "I know where her cell is. We just need Willow to get into their alarm system." Willow nodded and went back to her laptop. Spike clapped a hand on Giles' back.  
  
"Thanks mate." Giles looked around the room at everyone's tense and worried faces and thought back to the other half of their group in Sunnydale.  
  
"I only wish I had done it sooner." Giles replied and for the first time since felt a bit of relief from the guilt and anguish that had plagued him from that day on.   
  
***********  
  
This is sort of a transition chapter so not a TON of stuff happens but the next one should be more action packed. REVIEW! please? 


	8. Chapter 8

hey and thanks for all your reviews :) To moon29us: I had been thinking about going into detail in the torture like I did in Turned (the first part of this series) but didnt feel up to it. I am glad that you agreed with me on that...I was a little worried i was just getting lazy!  
  
It really encouraged me to get it done faster (ha ha...get it done.)  
  
Well here we go!   
  
**************  
  
"I've been here for hours Ms. Summers and I am beginning to loose my patience." Travers began. He been questioning her but Buffy had refused to give him answers. She didn't want to give Travers the satisfaction. If she was going to die then she was going to die sticking it to the Council. "Tell me. What were your last thoughts before you were turned?"   
  
Buffy tried to respond but she was too worn from her extensive torture session. She opted for spitting on Travers' shoe.   
  
"Filthy beast!" He exclaimed and kicked her in the gut. "Now…I don't know how things have worked in Sunnydale, but I will not tolerate such impertinence." He picked up a wicked looking curved knife from the table and fingered it thoughtfully. He grinned evilly at Buffy who tried weakly to squirm away. Suddenly, the door to Buffy's cell slammed open and a distraught Murdock rushed in.  
  
"Mr. Travers! You must come quickly!"  
  
"Not now Murdock!" Travers shot a glare at Murdock over his shoulder. "I'm a  
  
little busy right now." He turned his attention to Buffy, but Murdock wouldn't leave.  
  
"Sir. It's Chammers. They've taken him and there are rogue Watchers all over headquarters!"  
  
"What? Who could…Rivers! Blast!" Quentin tossed the knife carelessly on the tray and turned bright red. "Quickly Murdock. We must go stop this before they take over the Council!" They two Watchers ran out of the dungeon…leaving the door open to Buffy's cell.   
  
Buffy blinks up as she senses a dusky light. She slowly lifts her head and shakily wipes the blood and sweat off her forehead. 'Those bastards left the door open!' She thought almost becoming hysterical in her excitement. She slowly pushed her body into a crawling position and manages to inch towards the door, her body screaming in pain. Her arms begin to shake and one of her wounds that had closed opened. 'Just a little bit farther,' Buffy desperately thought as the world began to spin around her. The light began to fade and before she could understand what happened, Buffy passed out. Her arm fell out into the hallway as she made one final grab for freedom.  
  
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
"How long do you think it will take you to dismantle the alarm Willow?" Giles asked as he, Willow, Angel and Spike slunk to a side door of the Watcher's council. His phone call to Bradburry had been very short. Bradburry had merely told Giles where Buffy's cell was located and that they should attack tonight.   
  
"That's odd." Willow said looking at the code box next to the door.  
  
"What is the bloody problem?" Spike asked impatiently.  
  
"No problems…just no alarm either." Willow answered and pushed the door open slowly. She turned to grin at the others but Angel and Spike were already rushing past her into the Council. Angel paused and looked back at the others while Spike was intently sniffing the air trying to find any trace of Buffy.  
  
"Giles," Angel began. "There sounds like there's some sort of fight going on…" Spike wasn't listening to them and went in the direction that Giles had told them Buffy should be. He flung the door open carelessly just itching to rip some of the Council wankers to shreds.   
  
The sight that the four were greeted with was not what they expected. The room was full of watchers and they were all embroiled in a fierce battle. But they were not fighting demons; they were fighting each other.   
  
"Watchers versus watchers. It's like a sea of tweed." Spike said sarcastically. Giles sent a glare his way but does not respond and they all began to weave through the battle to the dungeon entrance keeping Willow safe between the three of them. As they fight there way into the center of the battle Giles sees Bradburry just as he is knocking out his opponent.  
  
"What the bloody hell is going on!?" Giles yells at him. Bradburry sends Giles a smirk.  
  
"A revolution!" And Bradburry turns back to the fight, pulling one watcher off another and punching him in the jaw. Giles turns to the others with a delighted smile on his face.  
  
"You three go ahead and get Buffy. I need to stay here and help defeat Travers!" They nod quickly and run ahead understanding Giles' need to help implement changes in the Watcher's Council.  
  
Spike rips the door leading to the dungeons off its hinges and he, Angel, and Willow are met with a sea of armed Watcher's. Spike and Angel lock eyes, knowing that only one of them will be able to run through and the other will have to fight and distract them.  
  
"You go! I'll stay here and help protect Willow!" Angel yelled and Spike nods again at the pair before he turned and ran down the dark tunnel before the watchers could comprehend what is going on. Angel pushed Willow to the wall in an effort to get her out of harm's way. She sank to the ground and pulled a spell book out of her pack. There was a freezing spell in here…if only she could find an appropriate way to tweak it…  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
Spike could smell her here. He knew that he was close to Buffy. As he caught the scent of her blood his demon-which was close to the surface anyway- burst forth. As he neared the place where they had been told Buffy's cell was he saw a man trying to drag a body down the hall. Spike growls when he realized that the man was dragging Buffy. His Buffy. The man quickly turned around and dropped Buffy's arm carelessly to the ground. Spike growled again and the man held a cross up and put a stake over Buffy's heart. Spike froze and his eyes widened as the man applied slight pressure with the stake. He laughed.  
  
"So this is the infamous William the bloody? I'm Quentin Travers; I must say I had expected something a little more from you. You're weak." He stopped and laughed again. The sound chilled Spike to the bone. "It's your love that makes you weak. Makes you a freak among demons. I should just stake this bitch and be done with it, even though that would ruin my plans. But then…I could always get some vampire to turn Faith." Spike growled again and the man smiled maliciously.   
  
He paused to adjust the stake over Buffy's heart and Spike pounced as Travers' hands loosened around the stake. Spike's demon roared and he gripped Travers by the neck and he gasped in air in surprise. Without waiting another second Spike ripped Travers' throat out and tossed his corpse to the ground.   
  
Spike moved quickly over to Buffy who is still unconscious. Spike pulled her carefully onto his lap and whimpers when he takes in her beaten and bloody posterior. He began to coo at her incoherently and he carefully rubbed his bloody hand over her lips trying to rouse her from her unconscious state.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
Willow smiled as she looked at the spell book in her hand and quickly began to chant. She had found a spell to freeze those whose heart "screamed desires against her own." As the last word is spoken, all the sounds from the battle abruptly stop. Willow smiled as Angel looked at her in surprise.  
  
"Well, it seems I should have told Spike that we would stay so you could protect us all." He said and Willow smiled proudly. Giles and two other watchers quickly approached the pair.  
  
"Willow, Angel, allow me to introduce Bradburry and Mr. Rivers. It seems they are the ones responsible for the revolution that we were a part of today."   
  
"You are the one who did this spell?" Mr. Rivers asked Willow and she nodded nervously. He smiled at her and shook her hand enthusiastically. "Very impressive spell work. You are much farther along then we had originally thought. Now what did-"  
  
"Excuse me." Angel interrupted impatiently. "But just what was this fight about?"  
  
"Ah. Yes. Well you see it all began twenty years ago when I was kicked out of the Council because I refused to stake my slayer after she was turned." He paused and cleaned his glasses. Willow repressed a smile as she shot a quick glance to Giles who didn't seem to notice that Rivers was doing what Giles always did when he was nervous. "Well, a hit squad was sent out and they were successful in dusting her. But, a few years later a prophecy was found about a turned Slayer and Travers, who had just become head of the Council became obsessed with it. Over the past decade I have been working through a network of various watchers to keep tabs on what Travers has been up to and eventually try to oust Travers from our ranks." Mr. Rivers smiled slightly and motioned to Bradburry. "Bradburry contacted me once he returned from Sunnydale. He saw that Travers was going to far and behaving more like a demon himself than some of the vampires we have chronicled. Now we will have a new order here at the Council."   
  
"Were you successful in finding Buffy?" Giles put in as soon as Rivers was finished talking. Willow paled and began to run in the direction that Spike had disappeared. Giles, Angel, Bradburry, and Rivers followed her as quickly as they can. Willow stopped abruptly when she found them.  
  
Travers' dead body lay a few feet away from where Spike was crouched with Buffy in his lap. He was still cooing at her and smearing blood on her lips. As he sensed the others around them, he looked up and growled at them. Willow stumbles a step back in surprise.  
  
"What's wrong with him?" She gasped as Angel steadied her.   
  
"He's out of his mind with panic." Angel said soberly gesturing for the others to step back. Angel shifted into game face and approached Spike and Buffy cautiously. Spike growled at his sire and Angel growled back, trying to use his position as Spike's sire to calm him down. Angel slowly kneeled in front of the pair and Spike stops growling, but begins to wail as though he is being tortured.   
  
Willow grabbed Giles' hand in fear at the sounds that Spike was making. She had never heard anything like it. Bradburry and Rivers watch in fascination, their hands itching to pull out notepads and record this interesting vampire family dynamic.  
  
Ignoring the four humans behind them, Angel cuts his wrist and puts it over Buffy's mouth. Spike's nostrils flared for a moment in rage but Angel's low growls seem to reassure the younger vampire that he is only there to help; and not challenge Spike's place. Buffy's eyes slowly began to blink open and Angel gently removed his wrist. She smiled weakly at the two game-faced vampires and glanced down to see Travers' dead body. Using the strength she had recently gained, Buffy kicked Travers' dead body weakly and cupped Spike's face with her hand.   
  
"Told that bastard you would come for me." She rasped out and Spike's demon faded away as he cautiously kisses her lips. He stood up slowly with Buffy still cradled in his arms and turned to the others who are watching them warily.  
  
"Let's get the hell outta here. This place gives me the creeps." Spike paused and gave the humans awry grin. "That's really saying something too. Creature of the night here."  
  
With that they all start to exit the dungeon heading towards more hospitable areas of the Watcher's Council. None of them spared a second glance for the remains of Quentin Travers.  
  
************  
  
One more part for The Council of Wankers! woo woo! 


	9. Chapter 9

Ha ha! The conclusion to The Council of Wankers. This chapter was sort of hard to get out and may be a bit cheesy at points. There is a great deal of fluff...but wedding type things ARE fluffy! :)  
  
Let me know what you think!  
  
************  
  
Chapter 9  
  
This was it, the moment that they had been waiting for. It seemed like an eternity since that night in the dungeon of the Watcher's Council when they had taken part of a revolution and he had killed the head of the council of wankers. Now they were back in Sunnydale, Buffy was healed, the full moon had just ended and he, William the Bloody was standing under a jasmine covered canopy in the Slayer's backyard waiting to be mated. While a bunch of humans looked on. Spike squirmed under their gaze and Angel slapped his hand companionably on his shoulder.   
  
"Don't be nervous boy. You're getting your greatest wish." Spike turned and scowled at Angel half-heartedly.  
  
"Yeah, yeah." He ducked his head in part embarrassment at what he had to do next. "Buffy and I, well, we just wanted to, you know." Spike paused and took a deep unneeded breathe. "We wanted to thank-you for blessing our mating. It really means a lot." He glanced at Angel apprehensively and was surprised to see that his sire seemed to have tears in his eyes. Spike looked at him in surprise and Angel sniffed suspiciously.   
  
"Yeah, well. You're welcome." He paused and looked at Spike and gave him a fake glare. "Don't mention it. Ever." Spike smirked back at him, glad to be back on familiar ground.  
  
"Don't worry about that." Spike slapped Angel on the back and they shared a brief laugh, which quickly stopped when he saw Buffy standing in the doorway.   
  
Spike froze as he looked at her. Her blonde hair looked like a halo the way that it was catching the light from the kitchen and her blood red dress clung to her curves. Their eyes met and he couldn't help but let a sappy grin light up his face. His grin was mirrored in hers and Buffy slowly walked to him and met him under the canopy. Spike took her hand and they turned face each other with Angel standing on one side of them and their human friends standing on the other.   
  
"A mating ceremony is something that is usually very private for vampires." Angel began. Buffy had asked him to say a few words before they proceeded so that her friends could better understand what this mean to her and to Spike. "Even if a sire does give his permission and blessing to two childer to mate, it is usually not done in good will, like it is in this case. But the meaning is still the same. By giving Buffy and Spike my blessing to this union, they can never be challenged by other vampires who wish to prevent or interfere with their mating. The mating itself is really just an exchange of blood and then each party says the claiming words. In this case, Buffy and Spike have chosen to exchange vows like in a mortal wedding in addition to the traditional claiming rites."   
  
Angel paused and Spike looked around at the group assembled. Even though they were all so different, and sometimes had their problems with each other, they were all family. He finally understood why Buffy had been so adamant about doing it this way. He looked back at her and she was looking at him questioningly. He smiled at her and squeezed her hand. Had he ever been this happy before?  
  
"I now give my official blessing to Buffy and Spike and hope that I can be around them in the coming years to see how their bond will grow." Angel finished and turned to give Buffy a hug and slap Spike on the back again. Then, he walked over to stand beside Giles and watch the rest of the ceremony with the mortals. Xander elbowed him in the side and smirked at Angel.  
  
"Hey, dead boy. That's the most I've ever heard you say." He whispered to Angel. Angel gave Xander a look that had once sent many brave men running for their lives. Xander just snickered at him. Cordelia pinched his arm.  
  
"Xander Harris! You're ruining the moment!" She hissed and he looked sheepishly at everyone as Spike cleared his throat.   
  
"Well, now that the whelp is done…" Spike began and flinched when Buffy squeezed his hand sharply. "Yeah. Well, Buffy and I decided that I would go first for vows." His eyes glazed over slightly as he remembered the night that had led to that decision. He shook himself and returned to his current task.   
  
"Buffy, in the past two years you have been everything to me, enemy, ally, friend, and lover. I never knew myself until I saw me through your eyes. You make me believe that I can be better; that I can be good and that I am worthy of your love. Even though I know that I'm not worthy I swear that I'll do everything in my power to keep you safe, keep you happy, and make sure you know everyday how much I love you." Spike looked down at the ground a little sheepishly at saying this in front of the Scoobies, but when he looked up into Buffy's smiling face he knew it was worth it. Oz leaned over and pressed a simple gold band into Spike's hand and he smiled shyly at Buffy and slid it on her finger. "Let this ring be a symbol of my undying love for you, pet."   
  
Buffy wiped a stray tear from her face and took Spike's hands back in hers. She didn't think that she would get this emotional, but looking into his eyes, she couldn't speak for a moment as she was overwhelmed by emotion.  
  
"Spike…" She began and stopped talking for a second to take a calming breath. "Spike. You know that I'm not good with words but at this moment it doesn't matter because there are no words that can express to you and make you understand how much you mean to me and how much I love you. You saved my life that first night that I was turned and you keep saving me every night." Buffy paused again to blink back tears and her sharp hearing heard her mother sniff back tears. She turned to look at her friends and held out her hand to Willow who gave Buffy the ring she had picked out for Spike. Retaking his hand she pressed it to her face. "You gave me back my life and my hope Spike. I love you." She slid the ring on his finger and they came together for a brief kiss.  
  
As they broke apart from the kiss, Spike held Buffy close to him and buried his face in her hair. They both allowed their demon faces to emerge and drew back to look at each other. Spike brushed her hair off her neck and sank his fangs into her neck taking one gulp of blood.   
  
"With your blood I bind myself to you for all eternity." He said and Buffy smiled at him from behind her fangs. She moved to his neck and kissed the skin right above his jugular. He shuddered in anticipation and she bit him quickly and drank a mouthful of his blood.  
  
"With your blood I bind myself to you for all eternity." She said and their game faces slid away. Both Buffy and Spike felt a shudder pass through them and they felt more aware of the other's presence. They grinned and turned to face their "guests", who looked a little pale. Angel was pointedly not looking at them.  
  
"Well, what are we bloody waiting for?" Spike's smile grew wider when Xander and Giles both grew paler at the word blood. "Let's go eat some cake and dance to some tunes!"  
  
*~*~*~*~*~  
  
"Yes Faith, this new council is going to be terribly exciting." Giles exclaimed as he ate another forkful of cake and Faith smiled happily at him. Giles was pretty funny when he got all excited about stodgy old Watchers.  
  
"Yeah, so what happened with Wesley anyways?" She asked and repressed a shudder at the look of evil glee Giles gave her.  
  
"Ahh…Mr. Wydam-Price will no longer be seen skulking around Sunnydale. The new council called him back to England to stand trial for his role in Travers' plans." Faith laughed as she pictured Wesley trying to defend himself before a council tribunal. Giles looked at her thoughtfully. "They are sending for the third Slayer, Kennedy, to go to England to ask her what she wants to do. Since Buffy is here is in Sunnydale…" Giles trailed off and took off his glasses to clean them. Faith smiled as she looked around the happy group of people gathered around the Summers' house and she knew that she had finally found what she had been looking for all her life.  
  
"I'm home Giles. This is where I want to stay." She paused and looked down at the ground before meeting Giles' eyes again. "Ironic isn't it that I find myself at home amongst vampires, werewolves, and witches while standing on a Hellmouth."   
  
"Yes. The irony is not lost on me." They laugh together as Faith let go of all the anger and jealousy she had been holding inside for so long. She had a clean slate now.  
  
*~*~*~*~  
  
Xander looked over at where Buffy and Spike were smiling and laughing with Joyce and couldn't help but smile as Joyce went to the kitchen and Spike bent down to whisper in Buffy's ear. Cordelia whapped him on the head and he looked at her in surprise.  
  
"Uhhh…Ow? What was that for?" He asked her while rubbing his head.  
  
"Go over and talk to her you dufus."   
  
"Cordy…"  
  
"Xander. You know it's been on your mind since she came back from her torture session with that prick Travers. She's about to leave on her vampy-honeymoon and you won't get your chance for another two weeks!" She took Xander's hand and smiled at him softly. "I know how much she still means to you and now you do too. You just have to tell Buffy now." He smiled at Cordy and gave her a soft kiss. It was times like this he was glad she was his girlfriend. "And tuck in your shirt." She added and he rolled his eyes at her, but still tucked in his shirt and approached the bride and groom.  
  
"Buffy. Spike." Xander greeted them and before they could say anything back he pulled Buffy into a fierce hug. She flinched a little and Xander pulled back slightly. "You ok, Buffster?"  
  
"Just a little wound in my side courtesy of one Quentin Travers. It's ok though. It just acts up a little bit." Spike took her hand in his and Xander smiled at the pair and how happy they made each.  
  
"You know…I never felt worse in my entire life than when I saw you get dusted by that shadow monster. Even if it was an illusion." Buffy's eyes filled with tears and Xander smiled at her and scuffed his foot on the carpet. "I don't know what I'd do without you Buffy. You or Willow." Buffy pulled Xander into a tight hug and he cleared his throat nervously wiped away something that suspiciously looked like tears.   
  
"Xan…I-" Buffy began but Xander cut her off, not wanting to make Buffy's big day clouded in any way.  
  
"Did you see the bride and groom on top of the cake?" Spike peered over Buffy's head and snorted and Xander grinned at her. "Cordy and I drew little fangs on the bride and groom." Buffy giggled and Spike patted Xander on the back. Anyone who could make Buffy laugh like that was ok by him. Cordelia looked over at them and smiled. It looked as though they had gotten a second…well a third chance.  
  
*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
"Well pet, it looks like it's time to get out of here." Buffy turned in Spike's embrace and smiled at him.  
  
"Yeah. To the frozen north with us! Lots of darkness makes for a perfect vampire honeymoon." Spike pulled her to him and kissed her passionately until a loud and pointed cough interrupted them. They turned to see Giles and the rest of their guests grinning at them, although Angel still did look a little pained.  
  
"Hey now! Just kissing my girl." Spike said and Xander and Oz came into the room carrying the couple's luggage.  
  
"Geesh Buff! You guys are only going for two weeks right? Not two months?" Xander quipped and Buffy pushed him playfully. Oz merely nodded and shook Spike's hand before walking back to where Willow was standing blowing her nose and he put his arm around her.  
  
"Yes, well. I would like to propose a toast to the happy couple." Giles began and Joyce handed them all champagne glasses. "To a pair who has been through so much turmoil and danger to get where they are now, but this just shows us all each day how strong they are together. I am honored to know you both separately and together. To Buffy and Spike." The rest of the Scoobies echoed Giles' praises and as they raised their glasses the front door opened and Joyce's glass drops to the floor breaking with a tinkling sound that reverberated loudly in the stunned silence. A man of medium height walked into the Summers' house with a half-smile on his face. He ran a hand through his thinning brown hair and looked curiously at the assembled guests before he spotted Buffy and smiled broadly at her.  
  
"Hey sweetie."  
  
"Daddy?"   
  
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
To be continued in the third and final part of the Turned series: "Of Vampires and Men."  
  
I know. I am evil. But I did start this out as planning it as a trilogy so the next part WILL be the last. But I am not entirely sure where I am going with this. I have NO outline started for the third part. please please please let me know some things you would like to see to try to jump start my muse into action on this story because she/he (does a muse have a gender?) is floating off to other stories but I really really want to get this one settled or at least planned out a bit before pursuing other things/long stories.   
  
Thanks in advance for all your help and reviews. I really appreciate all of you who have written to me with encouragement and feedback. And to those of you have been reading my other works (especially "splendor in the grass" which I was really nervous about!) I would like to say that I am really touched by your kind thoughts and hopefully I will write some more stuff along those lines. It was a really fun story to write. 


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